8 Underground Museums: From Salt Mines to War Bunkers
TheCollector showcases eight lesser-known museums. The Wieliczka Salt Mine in Poland, designated as a UNESCO World Heritage site in 1978, boasts nine levels that descend to a depth of 1,073 feet and features the Chapel of St. Kinga carved from rock salt. Salt mining operations continued there from the 13th century until 1996. In London, the Churchill War Rooms, preserved since August 1945, were opened to the public in 1984 and include the Map Room and a covert Transatlantic Telephone Room. The Paris Catacombs, established in 1786, contain over six million skeletal remains within 0.9 miles of tunnels. The TIRPITZ Museum in Denmark, created by Bjarke Ingels Group, surrounds a Nazi bunker with galleries. Additional museums mentioned are the M/S Maritime Museum, Salina Turda, Amos Rex, and the Field Museum's Underground Adventure.
Key facts
- Wieliczka Salt Mine: 1,073 feet deep, 186 miles of tunnels, UNESCO site since 1978, salt extraction 13th century to 1996, Kraków Saltworks Museum at 443 feet.
- Churchill War Rooms: underground bunkers in London, used by war cabinet, closed 1945, opened 1984, Map Room original, Transatlantic Telephone Room disguised as lavatory.
- Paris Catacombs: remains of 6 million people, 0.9 miles of tunnels, 66 feet below, ossuary from 1786, curated by Héricart de Thury in 1809, visitor cap 200.
- TIRPITZ Museum: designed by Bjarke Ingels Group, built around Nazi bunker, four galleries, 19-foot glass panels, walls up to 11.5 feet thick, covers 20,000 years of Danish history.
- M/S Maritime Museum of Denmark: in Helsingør, built around dry dock, three double-level bridges, 26 feet below ground, covers 600 years of maritime history.
- Salina Turda: former salt mine, used until 1932, bomb shelter, cheese warehouse, reopened 2010, 394 feet deep, Ferris wheel, boating lake, spa.
- Amos Rex: Helsinki, JKMM Architects, opened 2018, five concrete domes, two floors of column-free space, hosts 3-4 major exhibitions a year.
- Field Museum's Underground Adventure: Chicago, shrinks visitors to 1/100th size, permanent exhibit, features wolf spiders and earthworms.
Entities
Institutions
- Wieliczka Salt Mine
- Kraków Saltworks Museum
- Churchill War Rooms
- Churchill Museum
- Paris Catacombs
- TIRPITZ Museum
- Bjarke Ingels Group
- M/S Maritime Museum of Denmark
- Salina Turda
- Amos Rex
- JKMM Architects
- Field Museum of Natural History
Locations
- Poland
- Wieliczka
- London
- United Kingdom
- Paris
- France
- Blåvand
- Denmark
- Helsingør
- Romania
- Turda
- Helsinki
- Finland
- Chicago
- United States