Beckley Exhibition Coal Mine

I visited due to being a Fallout 76 nerd. It was a great experience. Everyone I met was incredibly friendly and welcoming. The woman in the schoolhouse shared fascinating historical details that really brought the setting to life. My mine tour guide, Don, was a retired coal miner who added so much depth to the tour. He spoke about growing up in a mining town, the realities of coal mining, and how the company store system kept miners trapped in debt. It was immersive and a wonderful visit.

My family and I planned a trip with several stops. This one was great to learn some of the coal history in Beckley and have the chance to ride a railcar into a once working mine. They only hire retired coal miners to give the tour, so you are getting the real deal! Clean facility, great tours and friendly people.

This was truly the best part of our trip to beautiful West Virginia. Absolutely loved our tour guide Gerald. He was so kind, knowledgeable and personable. I would HIGHLY RECOMMEND this tour to anyone young or old. It was a great time!

This wasn't on my first list of stops but I am so glad we added it! Our guide Gerald was absolutely a wealth of knowledge and had so much to offer. The mine tour, cabins and exhibits were all very well done. It may even be on my list to revisit if I'm in the area again! Excellent on every account!!

We had the best time on this tour. And their prices were unbelievably reasonable, even the things in the gift shop were priced so most people could afford something. This really meant a lot to this broke mama! Our guide was absolutely amazing too, a retired coal worker who knew literally everything. Even the 2 15 year olds were engaged and learned some really cool things while being entertained. I apologize again to our guide for us rushing him, we really loved this tour! This was by far my favorite part of our trip to the area.

This museum is really cool if you're into history or coal mining or both. The guides are all former coal miners (our guide was 3rd generation) and they are very informative and in depth as they take you into an old mine from the late 1800s. It's a very unique experience and one I would highly recommend for anybody visiting the Southern West Virginia area.

We learned so much about the history of coal mining here, Gerald was the best tour guide ever; he was sincere, funny and knowledgeable. The children's museum was so cute! We especially loved exploring the old cabin homes and learning how people lived back then. Definitely worth a visit!

Excellent tour of the coal mine, our guide was fun and knowledgeable. Visitor center and museum has a lot of information about mining history. The place has an RV park available, full hookups with good Verizon and T Mobile service, the entry road to the RV park is very narrow up the steep hill and 90 degrees turn. Spots are pretty big, it's quiet and very clean.

One thing that West Virginia is known for is coal mines. Back in the day when West Virginia was known for their coal mines, and they depended on coal and marrying manufacturing of it, be the bloodline of their economy. During my trip to Beckley, West Virginia, I got interesting and unique experience by visiting a coal mine, which has been closed for a while, but they give tours during the year. I just happen to be in the area and there was a local area school tour that happened to be there that day. So my friend and I quickly joined that tour. We arrived here at around 10:30 AM and saw maybe 15 to 20 school age kids along with their chaperones. We thought it was pretty cool to see school kids learning about coal mines. I am also wanting to learn about coal mine too because everything that I know about it came from books school. Also, from various movies and television shows on the last 40 years of my life. It was pretty cool to actually see it close to end then up in person. And so, we followed the group of kids into the Beckley working coal mine and started learning about the exhibition coal mine, history of the area, and how the coal mining history had its boom times and its eventual decline particularly in West Virginia. It was an interesting history that was sad when hearing of its decline. Still, coal mining was something that was hard work for the average American person and many miners have died over the 20th century. It was a surreal experience to hear the depressing news of the cool mining industry as a whole - from the beginnings to the eventual end. Definitely brings a spotlight to those who have came for us and gave their lives to the industry. If you're ever in the area and would like to experience what coal mining is all about, consider coming to the Beckley exhibition, coal mine and see what actual coal mining experience can teach you about everyday life back in the early 1900s. And how middle class life was like prior to that as well. The overall experience here at the Beckley exhibition, coal mine here in Beckley, West Virginia was definitely unique. It was a nice tourist attraction for anybody, and everybody who wants to know about coal mining, its history, and why it's not as prevalent as it is today. The tour took about 45 minutes, from start to finish, the ending was a trip to the gift shop to mine itself was very fascinating and it was neat to be inside one. Who win though it wasn't a functioning working coal mine, it was very real and very much served as the real thing for educational and historical purposes. After looking at the exhibits and seeing how the coal miners did their thing every day, I could see how the hard life these miners lived. It was like completely different than what I am used to these days and with modern conditions that could make or break you on any given day. After we got a nice tour of inside the exhibition coal mine, we got to tour the houses that were built for the miners and their families. The houses were built around the mind shaft. Some were smaller than other others and of course the largest one in the community was that of the coal mine owner. It looked largest compared to the smaller worker ones. There's also ones that were built for solo workers, who had to commute weekly from home. They would stay for a week and go home for the weekend. Life wasn't as difficult as it is now but with limited resources and technology at the time, it was hard and difficult. For the most part though, the Beckley Expedition Coal Mine was one of the highlights of my trip to Beckley, West Virginia. If you're interested in coal mining history and in the West Virginia area, consider coming down to the Beckley Expedition Coal Mine. The Beckley Expedition Coal Mine is one place that could wow you as well as make you want to see more of history's hidden gems. It definitely wow'ed me and hopefully it will dazzle you too. Come on down. The Beckley Expedition Coal Mine is located in Beckley, West Virginia. It's physically located at 513 Ewart Avenue in Beckley. They accept major credit cards as well as cash. As far as parking goes, they have a generous parking lot space for anyone and everyone who wishes to park here and enjoy learning about the coal mine and its history. Best bet would be to come here early enough to secure a good parking spot before the crowds get in. You're better off driving in with your own car or rent one because Beckley has very limited regional public transportation options, if at all. Or better yet, have a friend ride with you and y'all can save money on time and gas. And then, there's uber or Lyft at your convenience as well. if you enjoy history of West Virginia and want to explore more of the coal mining industry, consider coming to Beckley and check out the museum here. You'll be amazed at how preserved everything is around here. 5.0 stars for the overall experience. Support local! A+

Between the mining tour and the houses/exhibitions, this was absolutely worth the time and money! Exceptionally informative and the people/staff were super friendly.

I was really disappointed in our visit here. We started planning this trip months ago but I could not find the information I needed and didn't receive an answer when I called. I tried emailing the director to see if I could get some information and clarification for our visit and I never heard back. We started traveling a few weeks later and because we have been delayed a couple of times when we arrived, exhibition was closed for the season. The building is small and I've posted photos of all the information outside, which isn't much. It's really a shame I can't tell you more about the mine itself, but I can say with confidence that communication and customer service can definitely be improved.

A truly unique experience. It's hard to describe, but it's an immense, incredibly detailed mining camp. You can easily knock out several hours hearing about the history of each individual building and the roles that would have been filled by various mining camp personnel from the extremely knowledgeable staff. All topped off with a cart trip that takes you to a point where you are under well over a 100 feet of earth, and you get to see what "pitch black" really means. Well worth the trip.

What an awesome place with the most friendly people! Honestly, the kindness of folks I met in this state, combined with its natural beauty and low cost of living has me considering moving here. But let's not get ahead of myself ... The overall time I spent here was 3 hours! There were wonderful guides in many of the places you'll see that were rich in knowledge of just about everything! I honestly was not expecting to learn as much as I did and let me tell you: I left beyond grateful for the life we live today versus then! Wowza! Gail, Nancy, and one other younger gentleman (no name tag visible) were the 3 people that walked me through some of the buildings, filling my head with history. All of the buildings were moved there either in whole, partially dismantled, or wholly dismantled and put back together. They are original school houses, homes, blacksmiths shops, etc. (Some slight modifications only for safety purposes). It was absolutely incredible! The coal mine tour was one-of-a-kind! Every operator/tour guide is someone who worked in the mines. Ours (I regret that I forget his name) worked in them for 29 years. You will ride in a cart and stop at 3 locations. Yes, it is cold in there! And you'll be down there maybe 40 minutes or so, so bring layers for warmth! I couldn't believe everything I learned down there. I knew about dangerous conditions. But I always thought men took the risk because the money was good. Yikes ... those people lived in debted to the owners and worked their tales off for those debts. I'm glad our countries has the rules and regulations (and unions if you're lucky) that it does today. I will say no more as I don't want to spoil it for anyone. Inside the main entrance, there is a museum upstairs and a gift shop down stairs. I cannot recommend the fudge enough! I got a little of each and YUM! Great stop for tourists and locals alike to learn about our history over the last 150 years.

This tour is fantastic! A great break from the heat of summer as the mine is rather cool, and you get to ride through the mine in a tour cart!! The tours are led by coal miners, and the detail is fantastic! In addition to the mine, you get to tour a coal camp, youth museum (definitely kid focus!) and a mock pioneer settlement, with buildings relocated from other sites and brought to this location! You can walk in the buildings and get a look into the past! There's a coal museum in the visitor center as well!! Definitely must do if you are in the area!

The story needs to be told about how poorly workers were treated around 100 years ago and how they had the courage to unionize. This is more than just a coal mine your. They set up a replica coal mining company town. The old church and school were my favorites. The pictured guide was awesome.

First of all, Don was the absolute BEST tour guide of the coal mine. He was so interactive and upbeat plus displayed a strong faith in God. The ticket price includes the mine tour plus all the house tours, youth center and museum. Such a great pit stop on our road trip! Only a couple miles off Route 77. Totally recommend.

Curt was a great tour guide! Nice to get extra time to talk with him after the tour as well. Short ride into the former mine to see different things. Good for families and to appreciate those who have had to work in the mines under hard conditions.

I remember coming to this place on a field trip in middle school and I remember truly loving it! The tour is incredible (enough so that I have remembered it for going on ten years), and I remember LOVING the gift shop, it is wonderful for younger teens or kids. The people who work there are wonderful.

Great tour guides! The experience and knowledge makes the experience even better! Being able to go into a former coal mine and see just how hard miners worked for so little is very humbling.

This is a must do when in the area. We toured the entire site, showing how the coal miners lived and worked. It was an incredibly tough life for these guys. And what little they made was needed to pay for everything they needed from "the company store." If you do stop here, do the underground portion as well to really get a feel of how they spent 12 hours a day.

Chauncey was very knowledgeable and gave a great tour !!! I am here visiting from Arizona and enjoyed the tour !

The coal mine tour was great! Our guide Dorsal was amazing! He was very knowledgeable, he is retired from the coal mine so he gave life experience info...FANTASTIC!! Highly recommend!

Amazing place! Stopped on our way to Michigan. Loved it! Take the time to stop here you won't be disappointed. Very interesting exhibit on the lives of coal miners.

Very cool place to go. You can walk thru a coal camp and ride through an actual coal mine. The tour guide we had, Mike, was a retired miner and was obviously very knowledgeable. He was a great tour guide. On the grounds was an old school as well as some other buildings to explore. Schoolhouse rules were great.

Lots of good personal stories from retired coal miners who are now the tour guides. .........................

A must experience if you're in the Beckley area! We flew in from California for a wedding along with a ton of others from every nook and cranny of the United States. We all agreed this was such a cool immersive activity. You'll go into a formerly active coal mine where a tour guide will explain the history of the industry, how the coal was mined previously and how it's done today. Beware, this probably isn't a great idea if you suffer from claustrophobia. It's a legit mine so be prepared for total darkness when they turn out the lights. Thankfully, they only do it for a quick second to show you what it really looks like in the depths of the earth where zero sunlight reaches.

Our guide, Dorsel, was amazing! He used to work in the mines himself and he is VERay knowledgeable about how the mines were run and how the men were treated, etc. the ride into the old mine was so much fun, and I felt safe the entire time. Everything was very well presented and well put together. Highly recommend!

On our Fallout76 tour through WV, Beckley Exhibition Coal Mine was on the list since it's a frequent lace we visit in the video game. When we arrived, we noticed immediately how spacious and well kept the grounds were. There were plenty of parking spots up front. We went inside to purchase tour tickets and bought a few souvenirs. There were a decent amount of trinkets and candies and I ended up getting a magnet and train whistle (for funsies). When we were called to our mining cart, we were greeted by Don, the most amazing tour guide ever! He made this entire visit to be a memorable, informative, and excited one. Not only did we have a fun time, we learned quite a bit on our tour as well. Everything was well maintained and clean. Every employee we encountered at Beckley Exhibition Coal Mine was an absolute delight. Superb customer service and employees that came off as genuine and kind. Highly recommend a visit through the mines!!

We were driving to the Midwest from Virginia to visit friends, and we decided to stop at the Beckley Exhibition Coal Mine. We had a full day of driving, so a break of a couple hours was welcome. The Beckley Exhibition Coal Mine advertised as a trip into a former working Coal mine, and that's exactly what it was. Now, there are two kinds of Coal mines. A shaft Mine uses a vertical shaft going deep underground. A drift mine uses a horizontal shaft that tunnels into a mountain. Beckley Exhibition Coal Mine is a drift Mine. You board a trolley, maybe 20 people in all. The mine you tour was a working Coal mine, until it was made into an Exhibition Mine. Our guide was a gentleman that had been a working Coal miner for over 40 years. He really knew what it was like working in the mines. We had a great time. After the mine tour, we toured the Coal mining town. The had numerous houses, a school, and other buildings that had been an actual Coal mining town until they were moved to Beckley. It was fascinating, and very realistic. You really saw how miners and their families lived. They also had a children's building with many interesting activities kids would love. We spent 3 hours at the Beckley Exhibition Coal Mine and it was time well spent.

Loved the tour! Our guide was awesome and we loved hearing the information from someone who had worked in a coal mine 25+ years. Everyone was very friendly and made the visit very enjoyable. I would like to return at some point with my grandkids.

Excellent tour showing a little about how one mined coal in the history of the coal mining industry. I know that it is more complex today but it gives you some perspective and appreciation for those who chose this profession. Thank you to all of those who mined coal to support your families.

Our tour guide was phenomenal! I believe his name was Dan B. He was so engaging and friendly and we learned so many facts. The property itself us gorgeous and we visited the gift shop, the museum and the log cabins after the tour. We wanted to get our $22 per person worth! Very worth your time if you are near Beckley! Bring a light jacket, the mine is 58°. Plenty of parking and clean restrooms. The gift shop fudge is delicious - side note!

What an amazing place to spend time!!! A "mine settlement completely rebuilt at the entrance to a mine. All of the buildings are authentic and most moved here from other mine settlements. Each building can be toured at your leisure. There's a church, school house, bachelor's quarters, superintendents house and a four room family house. There is also a museum on the second floor of the "company store" gift shop. So much to see and so much history packed in the place. Then the coup de grace! The mine tour. The tour guides are retired miners and trust me when I say they know what they're talking about! Our guide was Don And what an amazing talent! He engaged everyone from 4 years old to 74. He was informative, funny and held everyone's attention throughout the tour. If you are near the New River Gorge, you have to see this little gem hidden in Beckley, WV - so worth the time.

Definitely a must see. How cool to go into a real coal mine and your tour guide used to work in when it was operational!!

We absolutely loved this attraction and would highly recommend for ages elementary to retirement. It's very informative, fun and our guide was very entertaining. My favorite part is the train into the mine and leaning the history and how it all worked. They also have a amazing kids museum that was fun for adults as well.

This was an unexpected gem. Not to be missed if you're in the area. The trip into the coal mine was awesome. Very informative guide - retired coal miner. Lots of amazing stories and great information. The little upstairs museum is interesting also. We toured a couple of the houses too. The thing not to miss is the mine.

This was a really cool tour. We were camping at Summersville lake and had some questionable weather, so we went to Beckley. This tour takes you into an old mine and some small rail type cars and shows you what it was like to work in there. Our tour guide was Mike and he did a great job There is also historical buildings that have been brought there to show what coal miner conditions were at the time along with how the mine Supt. lived... Definitely worth the trip!

Very good place for a field trip or something. They have a little gift shop, old mining stuff, and the expedition coal mine. Very beautiful place to visit during Christmas/winter, they typically have lights and a little plastic skating rink. The actual coal mine was really interesting to go in. You had someone to explain and teach you about the stuff you would find in a coal mine. The coal mine was very low( like you'd expect). So if you are very tall I wouldn't recommend going in the coal mine. They had a bunch of old mining stuff on the second floor. Worth a visit, would recommend.

This is well worth the visit. The tour guide had great information and insight into the lives of the coal miners.

Highlight of my trip! The company town is extremely well staged, with antiques in fantastic shape filling the houses. The mine tour itself was fascinating! Our tour guide Eddie was super charismatic and did a great job demonstrating how miners would have used the various tools available during a few different time periods.

My family and I visited the Beckley Exhibition Coal Mine Exhibit the weekend of June 29th. The underground tour was amazing as were all of the exhibits in the museum. Our underground tour guide, Dorsal was absolutely amazing. He was very knowledgeable and he made the tour fun with his quick wit. We will defiantly be back to take the tour again whenever Dorsal can be our guide.

An absolute gem of an historic and essential industry that enabled the world to defeat the Germany and Japan in WW2. Great coal company town preservation and the underground mine tour is a once in a lifetime experience to imagine what the miners did to provide for their families and help win the war against Nazi and Imperialism.

This tour was fabulous. Dorsa was our underground train driver and he was fantastic. As a retired coal mine worker, he shared personal stories as well as coal mining information. He was witty and really enjoyed his job. Visiting the coal mining camp buildings was informative and interesting as was the museum onsite. The cost was very low considering other tour venues. I highly recommend this tour for everyone except maybe young babies.

I'm a coal miners granddaughter. Not just any coal miner...one who helped make conditions better for the entire community. My grandfather helped bring a labor union to this industry when survival depended on it. I know what eventually happened with labor unions. I watched the world change...from union organizer, to Federal Mediator (dad) to union buster (brother) I loved this tour. I learned so much about mining, both before and after unions. And I have never been so proud of my heritage. If you find yourself in this corner of the world please allow time to educate yourself on this life. You'll have a new respect for workers everywhere.

We recently took the Coal Mine Tour as a Side-trip on our way to the Kentucky Derby . Welllll we'd rank our experience at the mine in terms of absolute fascination and enlightenment wayyyyy above the Derby. It was amazing!! The tour is conducted by actual Coal Miners and their passion and intimate knowledge is enthusiastically shared with you---it was a true immersion experience we HIGHLY recommend!!

Hi Gerald. We were on the 10:30 tour on Friday, July 14, 2023. We had a great time. You were very informative and enjoyed sharing your experience as a retired coal miner with all. It was as if we were alongside of you as you explained the tools and the way things were done. Your knowledge of coal mining from the beginning until current is amazing. Thank you for sharing. Loved the museum and the homes, church, and other buildings. It was an amazing and educational experience. Many thanks to all for keeping such a clean, educational, and historical facility.

A Great place to learn about the Coal Industry in WV What a great place. Be sure to check if it is open. I believe that we had one of the last tours for the season. We picked this place thinking that we would learn about the coal mining industry history in West Virginia. We did! You pay $15/person and that allows you access to the museum, grounds and a ride through the museum on the coal mine car. The main structure is a large 2 story house converted to a museum with the bottom floor as a store and the upstairs as a museum. This is also where you pay for entrance. The ride goes off on a regular basis and is accessed through the back of the main house. The ride into the mine was excellent. The tour guide was a real coal miner and answered all our questions and was the most honest person I had met. The ride stops at several places to show various sites in the mine. You may have a challenge if you are claustrophobic or afraid of the dark. At the end of the rid you are returned to the starting point. We wandered the other sites on the ground. There are several other structures with signs and placards explaining their uses. We ended up looking at the museum last (on the second floor of the main house). The buildings are still in good condition and allow you to see what life was like. Museum is very nice. You could spend hours there and still not see it all. Staff was excellent, price was reasonable and it was a great visit. I learned a lot. I highly recommend this site to any of my fellow travelers to understand coal mining and much of the history behind it for this seam (Sewell coal seam). Enjoy!

Just spent 1/2 hour writing a lengthy review, and then YELP said they are having problems "Oops, we're sorry, something went wrong on this page" so, sorry I am not writing another review. Please go see this extremely well done coal mine ride. It will change forever the way you see and appreciate the dank and dangerous conditions of coal mining. Our coal mine guide, Gerald,spent 45 years in the mines. I felt claustrophobic after 1 minute, so I have to admire his courage and guts. Please, I can't recommend this highly enough. Go, it's great for adults and kids, and very very unique.

I really liked my trip at the coal mine exhibit. The underground tour was excellent, with a 40+ year veteran of underground mining as the guide. Very informative! The above ground buildings were also good, with well informed docents in most of them helping to explain or answer questions. You ride down into a mine on a car with comfortable bench seats. It is cool in the mine so bring long sleeves. It felt great on a hot day. An actual retired miner brings you on the tour and tells you about mining left back when this mine was running and now. There is also some houses and buildings around the time when this was an active mine and people there to tell you about what their lives are like. Well worth the money and time to visit.

Short and sweet review for the Christmas Underground Tour. Went tonight while in town visiting family for Thanksgiving. The tour is short and sweet, about 15-20 minutes, but is very informative and fun. You go underground about 60-70 feet on as fun cart and trailer. Entrance is $12. The gift shop has typical cups and souvenirs. The property also has the old church and schoolhouse which were fun. Overall, a lot of fun and a good way to spend an hour learning about a coal mine from 1890-1910.

This is a fabulous experience rich with the most friendly people and rich with history. Our guide was Gerald, who delighted us with the evolution of the mine, the tools and the difficulties and bravery of the miners. He had us both astonished and had us laughing through out the guided tour. We also have to mention Peggy. Thank you for your friendly greeting and kindness at the ticket counter and store.

Had an awesome time at the haunted coal mine!! Definitely recommend!!! Make sure to take all the kiddos!!

We loved our tour of the grounds, and our mine tour with Don. So educational, want to come back again. Don tells his own experiences which make it even more alive.

Such a unique experience. The entire exhibit is very informative. A small museum, a mock mine camp and a mine tour. We especially enjoyed the tour of the mine. We went 300 feet below the surface and were shown various tools and equipment used in the mines. Our guide was a very informative and a retired coal miner. I do recommend wear/bringing a jacket since the mine is damp and chilly. Also be very cautious if you are claustrophobic, it's fairly narrow.

If you want to understand the life of a coal miner, come to this wonderful museum / attraction! The exhibits are very nice, with buildings that represent a typical coal mining town. But...the mining train ride into a real mine is top notch! Our tour guide into the mine (12:30 tour on 10/16) is the best tour guide I've ever had / seen. He is full of energy and tells great stories that really bring the miner's experience to life. I have a much higher appreciation for the difficulties and the risks for a miner! If anyone out there reading this needs an actor, he is the guy to get!!

My 13-year old daughter wanted to tour the Exhibition Coal Mine when we attended the 20th Rocket Boys Festival. The tour guide was informative and entertaining. He explained the mining process and equipment. He explained the evolution of mining practices. The early miners were paid very little for their hard work. I would not last an hour in their working conditions. If you are in the Beckley area, take the time to visit the Exhibition Coal Mine.

Loved the history lesson. Beautiful spot right in a residential area, almost seems out of place. Enjoyed the little train ride into the mine and it was nice to get out the heat. Mine is 50 degrees year round.