LWL Industrial Museum Zollern

The basics

LWL Museum Zeche Zollern (aka the Castle of Work) sits west of Dortmund in the Bövinghausen district. Given its out-of-the-way location, it doesn’t attract many visitors and rarely appears on day trip itineraries. However, a visit could be added to the itineraries of some private tours. If visiting independently, you can climb the pithead frame, walk through exhibits in the machine hall, and check out underground rooms and tunnels. Tours take place regularly in German.

Things to know before you go

• There is some English information in the museum, but most exhibits are explained in German.

• The site works well for family trips as it has a playground and picnic area.

• In the gift shop, you can find books about the Ruhr area and its industrial past, plus quirky souvenirs like miner's pit cloths.

• The restaurant and beer garden serves Westphalian specialties for lunch and dinner. Reserve tables in advance.

• Some uneven surfaces might render it difficult for strollers or people who use wheelchairs.

How to get there

The site is near the Bövinghausen train station, which is easy to reach via train from the station Dortmund Hauptbahnhof. Trains depart on the hour, and the journey takes around 16 minutes. If driving, you should head to the Rhader Weg 5 parking lot next to the colliery site.

When to get there

The LWL Museum Zeche Zollern is open daily, from mid-morning until early evening, except on Mondays and key public holidays. While the site rarely feels too busy, it’s worth going in the morning for a chance of fewer people around.

More mining history in the Ruhr region

If a visit to the LWL Museum Zeche Zollern has piqued your interest into the area’s mining history, there are other sites in the area to see. In Dortmund, you can cycle along the Rheinisches Esel, a former mining railway line now converted to a cycle path. In Essen, you can check the UNESCO World Heritage-listed Zollverein Coal Mine, dubbed the most beautiful mine in the world.