The China Coal Museum (中国煤炭博物馆), located in Taiyuan, Shanxi Province, opened on September 30, 1989. Covering approximately 11 hectares with a building area of about 90,000 square meters, the museum serves as a center for coal industry history, artifacts, specimens, documents, and materials. It functions as an educational, research, and promotional institution for the coal industry.
The museum features seven exhibition halls: Formation of Coal, Coal and Humanity, Coal Mining Technology, Contemporary Chinese Coal Industry, Coal Art, Coal Literature, and International Exchange.
A highlight of the museum is the “Coal Play Palace,” a large-scale underground simulated mine with real-life prototypes or 1:1 replicas. Visitors can don mining gear, descend via an elevator, and traverse the simulated mining tunnels, experiencing the challenges and dangers faced by coal miners.
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Basic Information
| Estimated Length of Tour | 2 hours |
| Ticket Price | 60 RMB |
| Opening Hours | 9.00 – 17.00 |
| Telephone Number | 0086-0351-6180108 0086-0351-4117821 |
Location and Transportation
The China Coal Museum is located at No. 2 Yingsheng West Street, Wanbailin District, Taiyuan City, Shanxi Province, China. To get there, you can take bus 1, 38, 52, 69, 308, 611, 618, 809, 813, 822, 855, 859, 863, 865, 868, 903, 906, K809, K859, or K903 and get off at Yingze Bridge West Stop (迎泽桥西).
Highlights of China Coal Museum
Introduction Hall
This hall features a 15-square-meter map illustrating the global distribution of coal resources, a towering 6-meter-high coal column sculpture, exquisite coal-carving artifacts, and a large Earth model set against a blue cosmic backdrop. The column displays samples of coal categorized into three main types—lignite, bituminous coal, and anthracite – based on their degree of metamorphism and industrial use. Lignite, with the lowest carbon content of 70-80%, is followed by bituminous coal (80-90%), and anthracite with the highest carbon content of 90-98%. The exhibit showcases these types from left to right, from lower to higher carbon content, including various subtypes such as long flame coal, non-caking coal, weak caking coal, and more.
Coal Formation Hall
This hall reveals the scientific conclusion that coal originates from plants, using fossils, specimens, and geological materials. It recreates a Jurassic-era forest landscape, allowing visitors to immerse themselves in an ancient environment. A 4D dynamic cinema offers an engaging experience, letting visitors travel through millions of years in just six minutes. The simulation provides a vivid portrayal of the Jurassic world, including natural phenomena like wind, thunder, rain, volcanic eruptions, and tectonic movements, all contributing to the coal formation process.
Coal Literature Hall
Located in the northeast section of the exhibition hall, the Coal Literature Hall of the China Coal Museum is a rich repository of historical and technical documents. It houses a comprehensive collection of publications and materials from dozens of coal mining bureaus and hundreds of coal mines across China. This collection includes extensive literature on coal mining technologies, providing valuable resources for research in coal history and archaeological studies related to coal artifacts.
Simulated Mine
The simulated mine at the China Coal Museum is the largest underground simulation in Asia, covering 3,200 square meters with an 800-meter-long tour route. This attraction features eight main areas: ancient coal kilns, transportation tunnels, modern coal mines, blasting work areas, geological tunnels, mechanized excavation work areas, a multimedia screening area, and mechanized coal mining work areas. The simulated mine presents a comprehensive view of China’s coal mining history and technology, showcasing the evolution of mining techniques and tools through a variety of life-sized models and replicas, creating an immersive underground coal-themed experience.
