Hotels near the Keswick Mining Museum

Discover the industrial history beneath the Lake District's scenic hills at Keswick Mining Museum (one time sited at Threlkeld Quarry and Mine).

There is evidence of mining and quarrying in the Cumbrian region dating back to the 12th century. With the ground rich in metal ores, gypsum and coal, it's no surprise that humans have been tapping these resources for hundreds of years.

From the days when individual miners chipped away by candlelight to the mechanisation of the modern age, the Museum tells the story of Lakeland mining and the men who devoted their lives to it.

As well as the remains of the granite quarry, closed in 1982, it also features the Mine Experience, a guided underground tour into the tunnels of the former pit where you can experience at first-hand the claustrophobic working conditions of the miners. The museum features a collection of tools as well as rock and mineral specimens.