Beckley Exhibition Coal Mine and Youth Museum Reviews

Was an awesome experience. I believe our tour guides name was Gerald and he did a great job. It was amazing to see what my grandfather would have done for a living.

My husband and I knew next to nothing about coal mines so it was a wonderful opportunity for us tour an actual mine at the Beckley coal mine. Our tour guide was very knowledgeable and we learned so much about coal mining. Coal mines of the old days were scary places! This tour is ideal for adults and older children.

So glad we stopped here on our way through West Virginia! The tour was excellent and very interesting. Kids loved it! There are also buildings on site to walk through and a small kids museum. Would highly recommend this place.

Very interesting facts about mining and the coal miners lives. Took the tour underground into the mine. Guide was very informative. Museum was small but informative. Buildings around ground each told a story about mining life

This place is more than we bargained for with 3 small children in tow. The staff was amazing and the tour guide was very informative and interesting. He made the tour one of the best I’ve ever been on. Worth the trip and money! GO!

We thoroughly enjoyed our visit to this site. We took a tour of the mine. Wilson was our guide and he was very informative and pleasant. The mining village was interesting to walk through and the people inside the buildings were also very informative.

Had so much fun on my trip to Beckley West Virginia. Our favorite part of the trip was going to the coal mine. We took the tour into the mine and had a blast. The man who talked to us was very informative and was one on one with his demeanor. He was the best part of our trip to that coal mine. Will definitely return again and I highly recommend it to anyone in the area at the time

This place is amazing. We took numerous pictures and a couple of videos. Our guide was very knowledgeable (3rd Generation coal miner) and we found out an abundance of history about the industry and this particular mine. The outbuildings were amazing. I especially loved the church. I would recommend visiting this place.

The coal mine tour is great, but having the retired miners give the tour is perfect. Really enjoyed learning about how the coal was extracted and what the miners went through to earn a living. The coal mine village buildings were also interesting and worth going through

Me and my family 6 went here and the tour and the guide was amazing. When you go make sure you ask for the tour guide named tank he is very knowledgeable and funny during the tour. Highly suggest this tour guide and this coal mine to see

Exceptional experience. Mike, our tour guide was excellent in every way possible. The mine, museum and gift shop were great.

Very well done exhibit into early/mid 20th Century coal mining. The museum and actual coal mining camp buildings were very done. The 45 minute coal mine tour led by an actual miner was excellent. The tour guide (different first name, started with a "D") was very good and engaging for kids and adults (we had two adults, a college student, and a middle school student). We'll worth the visit!

Our main reason for visiting this place was to see The Peace Totem roadside attraction just outside the Youth Museum of Southern West Virginia. This quirky 25 ft. tall sculpture was erected in 1986 by local sculptor Mark Blumenstein and is said to house a time capsule.

Located in the same complex was the Beckley Exhibition Coal Mine where I was able to check out the West Virginia Coal Miners statue, external view of the Rahall Company Store, Slab Fork Coal Co sign, the loading area of the underground Mine Tour, external view of the Superintendent's House, and a Raleigh County Coal Mines historical sign.

Due to time constraints, we were not able to stay long to take advantage of all the exhibits offered in the complex. They also were not offering underground tours of the mine due to safety concerns during the COVID-19 pandemic. What a shame. Instead, they are offering a video available for visitors to watch. I can watch a video at home.

This 2020 shortened and modified attraction schedule provides visitor hours Wed-Sun from 10a-5p open until the beginning of November with reduced admission pricing of $10/adults (ages 18+) and $5/children (ages 4-17). Normally, admission pricing were $20/adults, $15/seniors (ages 55+), $14/military, and $12/children (ages 4-17).

My husband and I really enjoyed this exhibition. We spent several hours touring the houses of the bachelor, family, and superintendent. We also stopped in the children's museum. It seem very cute. The village houses behind the museum were very interesting as well. The highlight was definitely the trip into the coal mine. The fact that men who were actually coal miners are the people who perform this tour makes this a great experience. They are so knowledgeable because they did the job. Our tour guide, Don Turner was great. Very friendly and jovial. I would definitely recommend this tour.

Going through the coal mine was an edifying and enjoyable experience. The guide was a retired coal miner, which made the experience much more meaningful. It was fascinating to learn how complicated and intricate of a process the extraction of coal is, and to learn how hard and sorrowful the live miners were. I'd seen Harlan County and other films highlighting the hardships and mistreatment of coal miners, but this tour really made it sink in. It is sad that the miners had to go through so much impoverished deprivation to make the company executives rich. They were underpaid, overworked, robbed, and cheated of pensions. They were denied health care for a job that was one of the most unhealthy on earth. Their children were exploited, and their wives were thrown out of their homes if their husbands were killed in mining accidents. None of this should be forgotten.

Very informative. The folks here are very proud of their heritage and guides have all actually worked the mines.
Its cold inside our guide Mike was great he has a passion for this you can feel.
Museum was informative and you really get a sense of how it was.

Great overview of the history and importance of coal mining to West Virginia. Tour was interesting and enjoyable. Highly recommend.

Super informative and interactive museum. We loved the coal village to see how the mining families lived. My kids got a good laugh over the rules for teachers in the schoolhouse.

The gentleman working in the superintendent’s house had lots of information to share.

We really enjoyed the upstairs museum as well.

Curt gave us an excellent tour of the mine and answered so many questions asked by the guests in our ride. He also has a very nice singing voice.

This was an excellent tour. Our tour guide, Dorcel, gave us a lot of information, and happily answered all of my questions. Also, I loved being in the modified coal cars on the tracks. Make sure you don't miss the above-ground buildings: housing, and the school house.
This tour was one of the highlights of our trip.

So much history and first hand knowledge.
Tank was an absolutely amazing tour guide! I could sit and listen to his stories and knowledge for hours and hours! Wonderful experience!

Informative coal mine tour, displays, and houses/buildings of early coal mines. I did not visit the children's museum, but I'm sure it is educational. Mr. Eddie did a great job with the coal mine tour. Sit near the middle of the two coal mine tour cars to get a good view of the underground exhibits and tour guide explanations. I was in the back of the second car and couldn't see very well.

The one day we had available to visit, it down-poured. Because our vehicle was in the shop, we were unprepared for the weather. The lady at the front desk loaned us her umbrellas so we could go outside to visit everything which was the sweetest! Underground tours were not available when we went because of social distancing requirements, but that was okay. They have reduced the price of admission because of that. It was a nice place to wander and consider all things coal mine! Also, the fudge was wonderful!

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!

First and foremost Our guide was great. His name was Dorsel, a former coal miner as was his family. He gave us a history of the mining way of life. Great to see some of the equipment used by the miners in the Museum and Mine. Please note you may want to wear a light jacket as the mine temperature is kinda cool.

Dorsel was our tour guide and was very knowledgeable about mining, history...etc... He was very nice and professional. He provided educational overview of the Beckley Exhibition Coal Mine with enthusiasm and answered all our questions. He made the visit fun! Me, my cousins, dad, and brother enjoyed it!

Our iPhone GPS got us there, but the coal mine and exhibits are off the beaten track. The representative buildings gave us a good idea what it might have been like to live in a coal town; docents were most pleasant and informative.

Trip underground into the mine with an experienced miner was eye-opening -- most definitely not an easy job; just reading about being a coal miner won't give you the same understanding.

Was recently here attending the final Rocket Boys Festival. The event itself was great and the venue was spectacular. The tour guides and employees working the shops were all very friendly and helpful. You can tell the workers truly care about their jobs and love sharing the history of West Virginia with individuals who stop in.

What a wonderful place! Our family really enjoyed our visit here. It was so informative and interesting to find out about coal mining and how it shaped West Virginia's history. The mine tour was really cool and our guide Mike , a former miner, was fun and easy to listen to. He made everything interesting. WE learned alot. The grounds were awesome. There is a one room school house which the kids got to explore, along with a superintrendants house, a church and a few other buildings. There was a guide in the school and super's house and each one was informative and knowledgeable. EAch of the two women grew up in mining house holds. One lady, one of 11 in her family, had 6 brothers who worked their lives in mines and a father who died of black lung when he was 60. It was so neat to talk to people who actually had first hand accounts of the lives of coal mine families. My kids loved it too- which says a lot!

Gerald was an amazing tour guide! He was very informative, this really is eye opening if you have never been to a coal mine. I thought the grounds were impeccable, the homes and buildings from the era were so great to tour. This is well worth a stop if you are in Beckley!! I would highly recommend this. I also have a great appreciation that the individuals are paid and not volunteers! Definitely recommend!

This tour was amazing! You ride a train into an actual coal mine driven by an retired coal miner. Our tour guide, Dorsal, was very knowledgeable and friendly. We enjoyed his personal stories as they really added to our understanding of what it was really like. The additional buildings were also excellently done and the blacksmith was another wealth of knowledge. We even enjoyed the puzzles in the kids' museum. Very highly recommended!

We had a great time! Gerald was our tour guide and he worked in the mines for 45 years so he’s a wealth of knowledge! Perfect for any age.

This was an awesome way to get a great understanding of early coal mining life by taking a rail car into a mine with a retired miner as a guide. Really enjoyed it!

Enjoyable and informative. A guided “man car” with a cushioned bench seat, carries passengers into a coal mine for a 30 minute tour with quick stops along the way, as you stay seated, to share the history of miners through the years and the equipment they used. Before and after your scheduled tour time, you are free to explore the upstairs museum, gift shop, and grounds with a replica coal town. It is a collection of original coal town homes, school, church, and earlier settlement cabins which have been relocated to the site. The staff were all delightful! Our guide in the mine was a retired coal miner who was very informative and even sang some coal miner songs as he drove along. Cost between $15-20 per person. Wear a warm jacket because the mine stays 58 degrees year round and there’s an occasional drip or two from the ceiling. So informative to learn about the tough lives of coal miners. Definitely worth a visit if you are in the Beckley area.

The mine tour with Don was one of the highlights of our week long vacation. Being from New Orleans, I really knew nothing about coal mines. Being able to ride in a coal cart and tour a very small part of a mine (1500 feet underground) with a third generation coal miner was amazing. He told stories of the mine we were in as well as what it was like growing up in a coal mine community. We later met a guide in the town who sang for us in the school house since the acoustics were so amazing. We then headed to the children’s museum with a huge, interactive train exhibit (starring Thomas and friends) as well as math and science puzzles I was able to take back to my classroom. This is an experience I have recommended multiple times since returning home. Thank you for such a fun and informational attraction.

My wife, her sister, her husband & I visited this on Memorial Day & we had an awesome visit! My wife & her sister's Dad was a coal miner when they lived in WV. We loved the mine & our tour guide explained everything to us clearly. The mine tour really made us appreciate what the miners do in mining to bring us what we need!

I had read reviews on TA and it was a go. A bit steep at $22 for adults and $11 for kids but since there was no admission fees into the National Parks we wanted to support an educational/interactive museum.

My husband and son went on the underground tour, I didn’t because I get sick in tunnels so admission was $11 for me. My husband and son said it was fantastic. The upstairs exhibits were great as well.

So much history and devastation in the coals mines and this museum did a good job in put in putting history in perspective.

My husband and I toured the museum, buildings and mine. We thoroughly enjoyed everything, but the highlight was traveling into the mine while riding in a coal cart train which included narration by a genuine, retired miner. Carl had a fantastic sense of humor. He described in detail what miners had to do to work and survive in the mines and gave examples of the many brave men who lost their lives trying to provide for themselves and their families. That part made me sad. The museum was also excellent with lots of artifacts and mine related gifts and toys. They also had a little fudge shop located inside the office. The kind ladies in the office check in were so friendly and made us feel so welcomed. Thank you for a great visit, Beckley Coalmine Museum and Mine.

This was definitely a place to visit! Our tour guide Dorsel for the coal mine tour was definitely a gem! He actually worked in a Coal mine and was very knowledgeable and so friendly! Definitely makes you realize that most of us have very easy jobs! If your in the area go visit and tell Dorsel hello!

This is an amazing exhibition. You go into an actual coal mine with a guide who describes the conditions, the dangers and the hard work of coal miners. It is so interesting - and our guide Gerald had worked in the mines for 30+ years, so he was able to answer questions and give us information from a personal level. It was so interesting. We also went through the village - it showed something of the life of miners and their families.

My husband and I visited on Good Friday. There was a light rain outside, so it wasn't overly crowded. They have a very nice visitor center with a museum upstairs. There was a few different buildings to tour of their "coal town". The tour down into the mine was the highlight of the visit. We both enjoyed the tour very much. Our guide was very informative and he talked loud enough for everyone to hear. The grounds were clean and tours were very organized. I'm glad we decided to visit. We did receive a AAA discount.

We loved the ride through the old mine Gerald was awesome and very knowledgeable we loved it all the old house was amazing I wanted to live there :) it took me back in time

Before your tour, you can walk through the upstairs museum that has different artifacts from coal miners through the years. We road a small train into the coal mine and our tour guide Gerald told the history of the coal miner and how they were paid. All tour guides are retired coal miners. There is also a small company village with supervisor house, church, school and company house with volunteers talking on the history of the building . They also have an area with buildings from the 1800's including a log cabin, general store and blacksmith.

this is a great way to learn about the coal mining experience - enhanced by a trip into the mine led by an experienced miner. the coal camp exhibits and the museum are all very interesting. Everyone friendly and ready to chat. Loved the whole thing.

I wouldn’t go out of my way to get to this area of the world, but if you are passing through sure stop by this attraction. When do you get a chance to go through a once functioning coal mine? We did learn some interesting things and our guide Dorsel was engaging. There is also a youth museum included that was really cute, my toddler enjoyed it, and a pioneer village to explore.

Very interesting place! We had Don "Juan" for our driver on the mine train and he was great! The museum and houses/buildings on the grounds really gave great information about this bit of history.

Great experience. Gerald was our guide and very information. Roger gave us a tour of the grounds and was great. We all learned a lot. Very fascinating experience. Highly recommend

Great time and experience. Was very informational and enjoyable from the guided tour (we had Dorsel and he was fantastic!!) to walking the out buildings on your own. Definitely recommend

What a fun time at the coal mine! The train ride into the mine was conducted by a knowledgeable and entertaining ex-miner. The displays, attractions and museum were informative.

The coal mine tour, and additional features including actual buildings from a coal town, make this a must see for those wanting to understand coal mining history of West Virginia.

Our guide Gerald worked 45 years in area mines, and his experience, knowledge and humor made our tour most memorable. Well worth the cost! (Bring a jacket, as the mine is 58 degrees F).

If you enjoy American history, this is definitely worth the stop if you're in the area or just passing through. The trip down into the mine is lead by a very well-informed guide whose immediate family were miners. Take a jacket, as it is cool once inside the mine. The man-car was an enjoyable ride. The other surrounding buildings were full of artifacts and antiques and information.

We've been through Beckley many, many times and love all things West Virginia. We had no idea that this tour was one of the best things about the state! Wilson was our guide and we thoroughly enjoyed the first hand experience he and a fellow tourist on the tour shared about their lives in the mines of WV. We are a multi-generational family and everyone was so grateful to have learned so much and be entertained while in the process. Be sure to go sooner than later!

The tour was very informative, and our guide, Gerald, did a great job. Our kids had fun with the youth museum activities, and all the old buildings were fun to check out, too, with friendly docents.

From the first hand look at the way coal was mined to the way miners and their families lived, early settlers of the area lived, to the experience of the “ company store”, you will be born informed and challenged to understand their way of living. The museum features exhibits on loan from various galleries which are both informative and educational. A definite must see for the first time visitor to the area.

All staff were very nice and relayed much information. Dorsel is the best guide! Awesome attraction.

My sister and I visited Beckley and took the mine tour. Our guide, Kenny, was wonderful! He was informative and personable. The museum was very good and the buildings in the "town" were actual ones from coal towns. This experience was a high point of our 9 day trip.

This was such a good thing to do and to learn a little about coal mining. The exhibits are fascinating but the ride into the mine was the best. Our former coal miner guide was brilliant - not so much slick as totally genuine. I can’t imagine anyway not liking this tour. Highly recommended.

This was a surprisingly interesting and informative place. Our tour guide in the mine was a former coal miner by the name of Don. He was wonderfully entertaining and knowledgeable. The buildings surrounding the mine representing an old coal camp and the ones replicating a settler’s farm helped make it easier to understand what life was like for West Virginians in the past. The guides in these areas were knowledgeable and interesting, too. I am very glad we visited.

We loved this place especially the coal mine tour- very interesting! And we toured the other buildings on site and the museum and found it very informative and enjoyable.

This was a very fun place, particularly if you get stuck in WV in the spring on a rainy day. The coal mine tour was great and our guide was entertaining and informative. The folks that work there and teach you about the way life was back them are so enthusiastic about their jobs, it is just a wonderful experience. Take your time visiting the place. You won't be sorry and please... do not forget to leave with some fudge because it is amazing!

We took our grandkids. We have teens and elementary kids they all had a great time and enjoyed the history and tour of the mines...a great family fun time.

We came specifically for this tour - we really enjoyed it and it was very informative. Our tour guide did a great job explaining how the system worked thru the different time periods. I felt the tour could have gone deeper into the mine and been a little longer. They need to sell better tee shirts with the mine theme, they would make a fortune.

I’ve toured multiple mines before, but I must say that this is one of the best! Dorcel is an amazing tour guide that is filled with knowledge and family history to share the story about the WV mining industry. I totally recommend this as stop on your travels!

We loved our recent visit to the exhibition. The mine tour was educational, but not dry or boring. Our guide, Dorsel, was very engaging and he's a wonderful story teller. Even my youngest child was drawn in to the tour. I was fascinated by tales of the everyday life of some of America's hardest working heroes. I would recommend visiting this moving tribute to the WV coal miner.

I planned a stop halfway to Myrtle Beach without my wife's consent. When we got up in the morning, I suggested we had some extra time, so let's take the kids to a mine tour, she was reluctant since a beach was in our plans for the day...

She and the kids loved it. I was the one telling everyone we had to move on to get to our next hotel. Everything about it was interesting, and we didn't have the time to enjoy it fully.

When we got there, I was a bit put off by the admission cost, but by the time we left, I was amazed by how much was packed into the place. I should have planned more time into our stay, I figured it was a quick stop - I was wrong.

If you ever needed to be reminded that your job isn’t so bad this is a good place to start. Our guide gave great explanations of the working conditions and physical demands of being a miner. A very interesting and fun tour. The miners camp is equally delightful.

This was so much better than I expected it would be! Clancy did our tour in the mine and he was fantastic. We made a couple stops inside the mine and he explained everything about how the miners worked, what they did for light, for safety, for meals. This was such an unbelievable value for the price paid.

After the tour (or before) you can poke around the museum which was very informative, then see the miner's house behind where the tour leaves. There was a guide in the home named Dana and he was so engaging and clearly loved his job! He shared a lot of information that really helped us understand everything about the home. Then we went to the children's museum, but that was really for little kids but they had a lot of cool things there. Lots of little ones toddling around, it's about right for ages 6 and under.

Behind the children's museum is the pioneer village, and there were guides there explaining what each building was. They didn't make you seek them out, everyone would come right up to you and ask if you did the tour yet, and then tell you everything about the different homes. This was an A+ experience for our family.

This was a unique West Virginia experience for us to do as a family. We were fortunate that the coal mine tour had just reopened as this really made the attraction worthwhile. It was so beneficial to get to see inside an actual mine and learn about how mining has changed over 100 years.

The coal town and pioneer village were neat, but fairly quick to go through. Our kids (ages 7 and 3) loved the Thomas attraction at the Youth Museum. After over two hours at the museums, we ate our picnic lunch here as well; there were plenty of picnic tables on the grounds.

I substracted one star for our tour guide not wearing a mask—this is a health risk especially in a enclosed environment without good ventilation. Guests were required to wear masks, but one person on our tour removed his--probably seeing that the guide couldn't care less. I would hate to see this tour have to close again, since it just started running.

Our research of Beckley suggested the coal mine tour as something entertaining to do. The tour takes you into a long out of production coal mine on a small track cart. Our guide Terry used to be a coal miner so having his first hand knowledge was really interesting.
My father used to be a miner both slate and gold so this tour had an added importance for me. And I found it interesting that Terry was very much like my father, small and wiry. Guess that must have been a typical build.
We enjoyed looking at the housing and church as well and the gift shop was excellent. Thanks for a great trip

Great experience. Enjoyed hearing Gerald talk and teach to us about life in the mines. Very interesting. It was humbling to hear how life in a mine town was. Definitely recommend.

This attraction provides a complete and thorough learning experience about the lives of people working in the coal industry. The tour takes you into coal mine on a coal train. Your host for the tour has worked in a coal mine and can answer just about any question you could have about coal mining. The grounds include exhibition houses representing different types of occupants in a coal camp (coal miner to coal company boss). The indoor part of the museum highlights the tools and equipment of the coal miners.

You won't find a more thorough experience anywhere else.

Our tour guide was Gerald and he was awesome! He was well-versed about how the miners lived and worked. Very friendly staff, everyone was so polite and welcoming. We met another previous miner who, although he did not lead our tour, was also very entertaining. The guide at the Superintendents home was also very informative and friendly. This was a really nice exhibit with an exceptional staff. I’d definitely recommend it to anyone visiting the area. We had a very nice visit.

This was a very informative and enlightening tour of the mining world. The guide was a former miner and he was a wealth of knowledge as he took us into the mine and gave us a glimpse into the work of a Miner. Coal has been influential to the growth of this country and there is a new appreciation for the families that lived in the coal mine camps and for the sacrifices they made for this industry.

This made our entire trip! It felt a little pricey at first but in the end I would say it was worth more than we paid! Our tour guide was very friendly but we felt a little rushed and had to keep twisting around to see things. The museum was fascinating and the artifacts and education panels could have kept me there all day. The coal camp exhibits were interesting as well, especially a the schoolhouse and superintendent’s house.

The youth museum and the mountain homestead could have been attractions of their own but they’re included in the ticket and absolutely worth taking time to see, even for grown ups! The mountain homestead is from and earlier period than the coal camps so it’s very different and yet equally interesting. Highly recommend!

Fantastic experience. Our guide, Gerald, a retired miner, was a terrific storyteller and brought the life of a miner to life. He captivated everyone on the tour. Very educational, insightful, and fascinating. Tour was efficient, about 40 minutes, and it flew by. At the end I found myself texting some friends to tell them how great it was. I decided to try this on a whim, and I’m so glad I did.

Beautiful setup, several hours worth of interesting buildings to explore. Youth museum was fantastic for our kids (6,9). Tour underground with experienced miner was impactful and educational.

Had this place on my bucket list while in the area and enjoyed very much! The guide was an actual retired coal miner that was very informative of how hard life really was as a miner. Went inside an actual coal mine by a little train and saw how different tools and carts were used then toured the grounds of actual homes, church, school that were used during the era. And last toured the museum of coal mining with all kinds of interesting displays. Be sure bring a jacket. Really cool in the mine and you probably will get an occasional water drip on your head from the mine.

I grew up in California and knew nothing about coal mining. The Beckley Exhibition Coal Mine tour was very educational and well worth the price of admission. The mine tour was provided by Gerald who actually worked the mines as an inspector so the explanation of mine life was very real and interesting. We visited after hiking the Kaymore Mine Trail at New River Gorge and I truly have a better appreciation for what we saw at the ruins at Kaymore. The mine tour is part of an actual mine so it is interesting for both young and old alike. After the mine tour you can visit examples of the housing of a coal town. There is also an excellent Heritage Village behind the Youth Museum that displays a pre-mining days town with wood cabins that were moved and rebuilt here. Very interesting!

The attraction is owned by the City of Beckley and has many volunteers working there. Everyone is so nice and many were willing to volunteer details of their lives in the mining town of Beckley. I could feel the sense of a close community here that you do not find in the large cities.

We went through the coal mine with a retired miner for a guide. It was a tremendous education. We also went through the school house, the supervisor's house, etc. and spoke with women who gave us excellent historical background. This is a "Do not miss experience." It's worth a trip.

The mine tour is a ride on the old train that was used in the mine guided by retired miners. Speaking with these gentlemen was a treat and they are full of mine information. The buildings have been move there from other local coal towns to represent a taste of what would have been in a working town. It was a fun afternoon and I would recommend it for people is all ages. They have a special interactive museum for kids too.

This was a great tour! Our guide, Don, made sure everyone had a lot of fun on our ride through the mine. He told amazing stories and gave a great depiction of what life was like for the miners and their families. The surrounding buildings were also great to see. The accompanying youth museum has nothing to do with mining but had some beautiful, fun, and educational exhibits. The people in the shops and attractions were all incredibly friendly and helpful. The drive to get here from Charleston was stunning. You should go!

We both had a good time. You ride into the mine and the guide explains in a knowledgeable way the workings and abuses of early miners. There's also a company house , church, museum and other coal mining exhibits. We bought a nice coal mining hoodie for only $24. I definitely recommend this tour.

I can see why this is the #1 thing to do in Beckley. Great trip inside the coal mine with our guide Leroy...he worked in coal mines for 27 years.

If you have time I would highly recommend this trip. Several buildings from other coal mines that we dismantled and restored on this property

We do I begin… everyone was nice and knowledgeable. Dorsel our guide shared many stories, interesting facts and history of the coal mining days.
It was an eye opening experience of a day in the life of a coal miner.
The museum and tour are a must see for all ages!

We had wanted to stop here a few years ago and didn’t then so we made sure we did this time we passed through town. I’m so glad we did. I have been on a lot of tours before and this was easily one of my favorites! Additionally, our guide Don was probably the best tour guide of anybody I’ve ever seen! He’s very knowledgeable, has first hand experience, he’s funny, energetic, and very passionate. We got here as it opened and there were probably 20 people already waiting around. With that, we had to wait for the second tour which was only a 30 minute wait. Apparently some people had bought tickets the night before as well. The wait allowed us to explore the museum upstairs though. It’s very small but has some cool stuff to look at. Mickey Graham was also there to talk to and sign his book which we picked up a copy of. The tour was such an amazing and unique experience. The buildings you can self-tour afterwards are interesting. There’s a nice little gift shop. And there’s a kid’s museum that we didn’t have time to check out. If you’re reading this review, do yourself a favor and go here!

Our tour guide in the mine was Dorsel. Great stories of real experience working in coal mine. Makes you appreciate what you have and work conditions. Well worth the time at reasonable price!

The mine tour was closed due to Covid, but the museum was open. It's small but filled with interesting memorabilia about mining. Also, the area where the mine cars leave from had a great video explaining what mining coal was like. In addition, the property has several buildings that also speak to how the miners lived, educated their children and participated in social and religious life. We found this to be an excellent experience.

This is great! Truly something for everyone. We went on a rainy day because so much is inside. The activities range from going in an actual coal mine to visiting the village where miners lived. And it doesn't stop there. There is a pioneer village and a children's museum. The adults in our group had more fun figuring out yhe puzzles in the children's area than the kids did. Extremely educational and interesting. We went there because my neice had gone with her school. Highly recommended for all ages.

The museum is amazing. Once you purchase your entry fee, you can tour the buildings which have guides inside some to tell you a little more about the mine camp. The mine itself was really interesting. Our guide Eddie was a retired mine worker. Fascinating! A children's museum with frontier living history was interesting to walk through and learn more about the area.

Very interesting tour! Made even more interesting by having a tour guide that used to work in the mine and had first hand experience rather than someone who had just read up on it. A little pricey but well worth it.

We lived this tour. So informative and well worth the cost. Very interesting. Gerald was a great tour guide! Highly recommend doing this tour.

Loved everything. Our guide was knowledgeable and funny. Great storyteller. Guide kept all my teens attention spans. Very informative. Learned a more in depth understanding of the hardships of our coal miners. Definitely worth the trip.

WOW what a great place to visit the staff are super heplful, and the mine tour operators are very knowledgeable. we spent about 3 hours walk the buildings and explored the buildings moved there.

This visit/tour was a great experience and very educational. We were lucky to visit the Supervisor's house between tours, so we got a private explanation of all the items in the house. The tour-guide was very nice and she also treated us to a singing experience :-) "...West-Virginia...."
Great excursion in the mine. "Do not get up from the cart, because you are going to have bad day....and potentially a new haircut". Great demonstration on the carbide light.
Go and see for yourself !

This museum and tour is worth every penny! Take a coal car ride into an old mine, narrated by an old retired miner, whose family worked the mines. Hear the unvarnished stories of life and working conditions on pre- mechanized mining and mechanized mining. You will leave with a new appreciation of coal miners and their families. You might leave with a different view of the old mining companies and their grip on miners.

The out buildings, company store and homes add to the understanding of life at the time.

A great way to learn a little history and enjoy a few hours.

wife and I were in area for vac. we chose to visit to take the tour. when we found out they didnt run the tram into the mine. The other museum buildings and artifacts were interesting but we want to go into mine. we were disappointed. due to covid. Heck we were the only ones there. will try again some day

The coal mine tour was very interesting and educational. The guide had many years experience mining coal and told us some fascinating stories, Definitely bring a jacket because it was cool and damp inside the mine. The museum had interesting displays with plenty of room to move around and see everything without being crowded. The coal camp buildings and the frontier buildings were well maintained with period furnishings and there were friendly guides on hand to answer questions. It was well worth the time to stop for a visit.

At 59 years young, I thought I was pretty educated but I learned so much on this tour. Our guide was awesome! Would highly recommend this tour to kids and adults!

The throwback in time demonstrated in the various buildings replicating the company town was interesting. The best part was the underground mine tour given by Gerald. His real life stories mimicked my grandfather's...who mined for 50 years in PA. Really enjoyed this tour!

It was a good learning experience. Gerald was really experienced in the daily grind of the mine. Only reason I didn't give a5 was because we were the last tour came out at 5:11 and store closed no bathroom. Most of the props made it look authentic.

Excellent journey back into West Virginia coal mining history. The underground mine tour, hosted by retired miner Gerald was informative and fun! These guys gave their all to get coal out of the ground. Property was well-organized, clean and beautiful with blooming plants and flowers. Period buildings on the site were relocated from area mining camps and were packed full of antiques. Docents in the Miners House and Superintendent Home provided a keen insight into miner’s lives. Entire facility was very interesting and easy to navigate. Children’s museum was an enjoyable surprise - we spent 30 minutes working the games and puzzles alongside the kids! Highly recommend if you are in the area. Allow 2 - 2 1/2 hrs to fully tour. The city of Beckley has done a great job with this museum complex!

Very informative. Well organized. Terrific staff. Tram ride thru mine excellent. Our guide Don was a wealth of information and fun.

This is an interesting example of what coal mines were like starting in the late 1800s and into the 1900s. There is an underground tour which lasts about 30 minutes. Note that the temperature is 56° underground. Costs very depending upon age. After the tour you can visit typical structures of the era including a bachelor shanty, the school house for the community, and the museum.

This museum was a stop during our West Virginia trip. What made it so great was a trip down into a mine. It was a chance to experience the life in a coal mining town. Staff was very friendly and knowledgeable. Our tour guide was a retired miner and spoke of his own experience in the mine.
Great stop- if you are in the area, find out more about coal.

I really appreciated the history of the coal mines, but my children aged 4 and 7 were restless. I wouldn’t discourage parents from taking children because mine handled it ok. I thought it was fun to go in a cart and learn how coal was mined! They have nice surrounding buildings to show how the miners lived and a nice gift shop also!

Stopped in Beckley as a half-way point on our way to Williamsburg! After checking Trip Advisor, we decided to check out the Beckley Exhibition Coal Mine and we are glad we did! Very interesting and nice place to visit!

Beautifully set up exhibits and museum. Our underground guide was Don. Not only was he knowledgeable, but he was funny and made the tour so enjoyable. Must see spots are the church, miner’s home, school house, and superintendent’s home.

We were in West Virginia for a couple of days and found out very quickly that we wouldn’t be able to see everything we wanted to see in one trip. So, we picked a few things and Beckley Exhibition Coal Mine was one of our picks!

We are so thankful we did this tour. Arrived right at 10am when they opened and bought tickets for the 10:30am tour (unsure if there is a tour right at opening?). Not only was it just super cool to be underground and see inside what was once a real, working coal mine, but also to LEARN all that we did from our guide, Gerald. He was interesting to listen to and we learned that he had started as a coal miner in the early 1970’s and continued that work for over 40years! He was great!!! We could tell he really enjoys doing the tours. (Note: you CAN tip your guide!)

Don’t miss this place and tour! Make sure to also walk the route outside above ground (right after your mine tour, as this is the only way to access this part of the tour) to see all of the buildings that made up a coal camp. We learned a lot and will definitely be back to West Virginia!

This tour is a not-to-be-missed experience. What better way to obtain an understanding and education of the work coal miners did when coal was widely used. I have a new appreciation of the actual back-breaking work miners did to provide such a necessary substance. Gerald, our tour guide and a former miner, was phenomenal in explaining the history of the mine, demonstrating several ways miners used to find their way (wicks, flames - before batteries and electricity), as well as tools miners used and stories of survival while working, from the importance of canaries and rats (yes, true!) to securing your lunch pail and hiding your identifying token from other miners. You'll have to take the tour to understand what that means - but truly fascinating! We were so glad we went.

We came here on the advice of a young lady at Mtn St Mini-Golf to find it one of the best--if not, THE best!--tours of our 31-years of married life! I went in with my adolescent, Butler County KY coal strip mining background and our shared Kentucky Coal History Museum and Blue Heron train experiences of past family vacations and came away with the experiences of an 82-year-old's memories of her adolescence right there where she curated the superintendent's house and of a 23-years' experienced area miner! Both told the truth of Appalachian Coal Company Town life respectfully and frankly, their stories seasoned with testimonies of God's grace through it all down to the present time. Another guide native to Wyoming where he'd attended a two-room school is curator of the town's such school and along with several various college degrees, has educated himself on humanity's history with coal and the long lasting impact of the industry upon WV and Appalachia, generally. The voters of our nation need to come to the truth of coal. All donation-driven, so no propaganda!

My husband and I and our kids had a great time here. The staff was very friendly and informative. The grounds and buildings are well kept. The underground mining tour was interesting, I learned a lot and thought it was a great thing to experience. The coal camp was fun to see the different ways of life from single miner to a miner with a family to the mine superintendent. And the kids had fun in the youth museum with activities from a handful of storybooks. My husband and I liked the brain teaser puzzles. I highly recommend this attraction.

Wow!! We just stopped during a roadtrip thru WV and so glad we did!! What a cool place, with historic houses to tour and a childrens museum. We were there on a Thursday and didnt arrive until about 3:30 when they close at 5pm... so due to my lack of planning, we were rushing through to see everything. An hour and a half was definitely not enough! The childrens museum alone could have easily taken up a couple hours! My 6yo daughter loved it. The adults loved the coal mine tour. We learned a ton and Don was an amazing tour guide, he even managed to entertain my 6yo, who didnt fully understand what coal mining was! I have a whole new appreciation for our coal miners!

This was an awesome tour! The tour guide was great. He was informative and funny. The tour goes back into a coal mine so it’s cold and a bit tight. If you’re claustrophobic this might not be for you. Little kids may get antsy as it’s at least 30 minutes long. The surrounding grounds have old houses and log cabins to explore. I would recommend it.

This is such a hidden gem! Don is one of those people that you meet and go, "yup, God meant for him to be sharing this with people". He was engaging and funny and informative! The kids and adults all enjoyed the time we spent there. The coal camp has lots of cool buildings to check out and everyone working in them were friendly to our kids and did a great job of sharing information about how life was like back then. This is a must see.

We were so glad we visited! Knowing nothing about coal mines and how miners lived, this was so informative and interesting. From the coal mine tour, conducted by former coal miners to the pioneer village and coal miners’ buildings where docents shared their knowledge and answered our questions, this was a tour worth taking. Loved it all!

The place offers a trip down into to mine, learn how it was done " back in the day" & how they do it now. Once back up top , walk around the miners camp & see how they lived. There is much to see & do here. It's worth the trip, the kids will love it. I as an adult in my 50s sure enjoyed it. Great place . Nice friendly people. Handicapped ACCESSIBLE. Senior discounts.

A fun afternoon. Our guide, Don, for the ride into the coal mine was great. He kept it entertaining as well as informative. The tour of the houses was a nice addition. The log cabin area was neat. The docents down there were friendly and shared a lot of info.

My husband and I walked the grounds to see all the exhibits of miners' homes, which varied from a single room for a bachelor miner to the superintendent's well-appointed 3-store home. We then took the 1-hour trip through the coal mine. Our guide was Dorsel, who had worked in a coal mine for 50+ years and whose father, brothers, and friends had also worked in a coal mine. He shared personal stories about things he or other men he knew had experienced while working in the mines. Dorsel has a great sense of humor, which added to the stories he told. He knew so much about the early days of mining, the coal towns, company stores and all of the hardships the miners suffered (e.g., cramped spaces, little to no light, meager wages, black lung, etc.) in order to earn a living in an area in which other employment was scarce. We were also able to see in the coal mine various pieces of equipment the miners created themselves or which were provided by the company. It was fascinating. (Make sure he shares the story about the canaries!) I couldn't believe an hour had passed. I took lots of pictures. I would advise anyone with the least bit of interest in the history of coal mining in the U.S.A. to take this tour

Visited this place on a company trip and was most impressed. I learned a good deal about the history of coal mining and its value to this region. Enjoyed going on their rail cars and seeing what the inside of a mine would have looked like and seeing many of the tools that were used by miners through the periods the mine was active.

This is a must see if you’re in or around Beckley, WV. Our guide, Gerald, was a great tour guide. You could tell he knew what he was talking about - he worked in the mines for over 40 years. I always knew mining was hard work, but had no idea of the strength of body and mind you’d need to be a miner. God bless all the miners. Be sure to say Hi to Marvin when you see him!!

This was a wonderful experience. Our tour guide (Dorsel) used to work in the mine and that made the experience so much more worthwhile. He was very knowledgeable and very friendly and eager to answer questions. It's amazing that you can actually go into a mine that was once active. It was very interesting and well worth the price. The workers throughout the area were very nice also.

We arrived a few minutes before the Visitor Center opened at 10 AM, and there were enough guests lined up that they offered us a 10 AM train ride instead of having to wait until 10:30. The train ride into the coal mine was very informative and a fun experience. Try to get seats in the center of the train so it will be easier to see the displays. Our tour guide, Gerold (?) was knowledgeable, easy to understand, interesting, organized and energetic, and gave us a good sense of the miners’ jobs, equipment, working conditions and lives. We then walked around their Coal Camp, museum, gift shop, youth museum and Mountain Homestead. All of the attractions were excellent, and the attendants in the various buildings were helpful, knowledgeable and engaging, too!

I’ve been wanting to visit for years, after seeing the signs on I-77. I finally scheduled time to stop. This was a fantastic visit. The tour was led by a retired coal miner (Dorsel) , who gladly shared many stories of his experience. I urge others intrigued by coal mining industry and lifestyle to visit.

Highlight of the exhibition is the talk given by the former miner. You sit in a coal car and enter a shaft where the miner describes how the mining was done. Like any presentation, it can only be as good as the presenter and the two that I witnessed were both excellent. The talk/tour lasts maybe half an hour. The rest of the exhibition is replicas of old buildings that might have been found in a mining town. Like any similar setup (farming/logging/railroad/etc. community) it was interesting in a view of a lifestyle I was not familiar with. Very well maintained and many interpretive signs to explain what we were seeing. Walking through the 5-6 buildings took another 45 minutes. The main building combines a ticket office, gift shop, restrooms and a number of exhibits that are not extensive but are well documented. Not an exciting place to visit if you have children, but that may be why they added the youth museum (which I did not visit). An educational experience.

Gerald gave a GREAT tour. Learned lots. Makes me appreciate what I have! Allow time to explore the buildings also.

How many places in the world can you tour a real coal mine? Not many, so take 1.5 - 2 hours out of your day to take a 30 - 40 minute cart ride into a former coal mine. It was a fascinating and educational tour given by gentlemen who worked in coal mines for years. We had Clacey who was entertaining and patiently answered all our questions.

Adult tickets are $22; seniors $16, and children $12.50. You can buy tickets ahead of time, although it took me two tries since it did not charge me the full amount the first time, and I had to pay the rest by trying to logon again. I gave my name at the ticket counter, and they saw my reservation. You can also buy tickets at the ticket office.

If you miss the mine cart ride and need to wait until the next one, there is a museum on the 2nd floor or the buildings to walk and see connected by walkways. There is a bachelor shanty, family house, superintendent house, hospital, barber shop, mail room, school, and church.

The coal mine had ceilings well above our heads and with room on the sides and a nice cool air, so I never felt closed in. I gained a deep respect for the miners who were pulled into the mine while lying on sleds pulled by dogs or goats and spent the day working on their backs or hunched over due to the low ceilings.

Learn about the fire boss and decide if that would be a job you would like.

At the gift shop, they had great souvenirs, fudge, and snacks.

Tips:
- Bring a jacket since the mine is 58 degrees.
- You will need to step up into the cart.
- Clacey rode into the mine a bit and asked if everyone is okay, just in case someone had claustrophobia and wanted to leave. He would have backed the train off so anyone could skip the tour and just walk outside to the houses, church, and school.

Fun place to take kids, the tour guide who took us down was amazingly friendly and knowledgeable, my little guy had just turned 6 and had a great time

Well worth the price! The mine trip is about 45-60 minutes long, narrated by a retired coal miner. Our guide, Gerald, was entertaining and informative. He demonstrated various pieces of mining equipment.

Hint: do take a jacket with you, as the temperature inside the mine is a constant 58 degrees year-round. and set aside at least 2 hours in order to see everything!

The mining camp is staffed by very knowledgeable people who many grew up in the camps themselves.

Visiting the museum full of mining artifacts, you'll learn just what a difficult life these miners had.

A must-do activity for all ages! My 16 and 17 year old teens were interested in the underground tour, the buildings, and even the youth museum with science center type activities. You get access to a lot of neat features for one admission price. My favorite part was the staff. From the ladies at the ticket sales stand to our tour operator and the staff in the camp buildings, all were so well-versed on topics of interest. Great job to all staff and the City of Beckley for this jewel.

Well worth the visit if you are in the area! The museum has lots of interesting artifacts and information about the history of coal mining in the area. The coal mine tour was great - our tour guide was a coal miner for 45 years prior to retirement so he was full of stories and first-hand information. We really enjoyed our visit.

Not only was the focus of the site a step back in time (coal mining) but the site itself was as well. Seemed a bit outdated, like something you would have visited in the early 70's. They have a few buildings to show what a mining town was like, but not much in the way of information & it seemed a bit run down. OK for kids, but not much of a thrill for adults.

In a guided tour visit an old, nonfunctional coal mine and see exhibits and machinery used to extract coal. Our mine tour guide was a retired coal miner. There are also actual buildings from coal mining company towns, including a bachelor's and a family house, a superintendents' house, a school and a church. All are furnished in period pieces. Also, there is a museum and children's museum and a log cabin village. All of the guides were very good. The fee was $16 each for two adults.

We had been meaning to stop here for a long time and had the chance Thanksgiving weekend. Outside was decorated with Christmas lights but it was closed. Hours on doors indicated that it is open from April 1 to November 1. A couple of other families pulled up after us, so we weren't the only ones not to know the exhibit would be closed. The adjacent youth museum is open through November 39.

We went on a Thursday morning and there were 10 people on our tour. The tour guide was a retired mine worker of over 40 years. He knew it because he lived it. We rode a small coal train down into the mine and he explained how coal was dug out and showed us how all the tools worked. Be glad you're not a coal miner! there are various building that you can visit showing what a coal mining town would have looked like in the early 1900's. In each building there is someone there to tell you what you're looking at and to answer questions. These people all know their stuff because they come from coal mining families. Don't miss this if you can help it.

Be transported back in time when you visit the old homestead of Beckley with buildings dating back to 1845. The guides do a great job of sharing life during that time period. Then take a stroll learning about the mining camps that sprung up in the area. Don’t miss the tour into the old coal mine. Our tour was led by a retired coal minor, Dorsel. He shared personal stories and experiences growing up in the mines. It was heartfelt and gave you a true sense of the hardship and challenges that the minors faced. Truly a priceless experience to hear firsthand all that these families sacrificed.

This was a great way to spend the afternoon. My wife and I stopped on our way home from Mammoth Cave. We wanted to learn more about coal mining in West Virginia. Dorsal was our tour guide and he was fantastic! It is clear that he loves sharing his history with the group. He even spent time with us after the tour answering all of our questions. If you like learning and history, this is an excellent place to visit.

Dorsel was fantastic. Funny, sentimental, and full of first hand knowledge and experience. Amazing tour. Thank you.

A nice museum preserving artifacts and information of the life of West Virginia coal miners. Wander thru period buildings and tour the little museum itself then go for an informative trip into the coal mine. Our guide Eddie gave us a great lesson on how hard these miners worked! Nice children's museum and outdoor areas, too.

I was looking for something to do around Charleston and found this. What a great find! The place is really nice. It's very clean and well-managed. I took the mine tour and it was really great. Our guide in the mine was a really great guy and made the tour totally enjoyable. The mine ride is a bit dark in some places but in most it's totally light. The mine tour would be just fine for kids as it's not scary at all.

The exhibits on the second floor of the building are pretty cool too. I found the gift shop prices actually pretty reasonable.

I would definitely recommend this this tour to others.

What an interesting interactive exhibit. Much local history that is well displayed and explained. Friendly knowledgeable staff who take the time to make you feel welcome. Peggy and Gerald are both top notch. Stop by you won’t be disappointed. Plan to spend a couple of hours!

Enjoyed the tram ride through the mine. The guide was excellent. He had worked in the mines for forty years. Learned about mining from the beginning till today. You really get to see and learn about the old mining days and what a hard and dangerous job it was.

Visiting the Coal Mine is a unique experience and very informative. The underground tour is about 35 mins and goes out every half hour. I had read about the tour being claustrophobic, but I didn't find that to be the case. You go down in a coal car train and a former miner describes the working conditions that the miners had to deal with. I felt that the tour could have been a little bit longer and if you are sitting in the wrong end of the car, it can be hard to see some things or take pictures of them. They also have a museum and buildings that you can self tour such as a house that the miners stayed in, etc. Of course there is a gift shop as well. We spent about 2 hours there and enjoyed it. I would recommend making this a stop on your visit to WV.

This was an excellent tour of a real coal mine. The tour guides were retired coal miners who really explained what it was like to mine coal in the early days of coal mining until present. Our guide Eddie really brought the experience to life. The company town exhibit and the museum were also interesting and educational. A must see if your visiting the area.

We were lucky enough to have Don as our guide. Visited with a group of Scouts from Georgia and they all loved his entertainment while going through the mine. The mine itself was also great as you are able to ride a small train while participating in the tour itself. Do yourself a favor and visit before Don retires!
Working in a Coal Mine, Whoop

My wife and I were in Beckley for white water rafting and Bridge Day. A friend highly recommended a visit to the Exhibition Coal mine. We're glad we included this stop in our weekend.
We were among the first visitors on a Sunday morning. The ladies at check-in were friendly and informative. Dorsel was our tour guide. He was excellent, having personal experience working in coal mines since he was 5 years old. His Dad and brothers all worked in the mines. They all died early from black lung disease.
Dorsel was full of fascinating accounts, sharing his experience and knowledge of work in the coal mines. We will visit again just to hear more of his stories.

There is so much to look at and do that you will want to plan to spend at least 1/2 a day here.
Inside the main building is a museum upstairs that has tools and memorabilia from the mining industry.
The tour itself puts you in a cart to go below. Even those with short legs will have trouble with the leg area, so be aware of this when you go down. Most of the explanations will be on the side when you first enter the cart, but there are some on the other side. We had an excellent guide, Dorsal, who explained things in a way that were easily digested. Those giving tours are/were miners themselves so have a lot of information to share.
In addition to the museum and the tour, there are buildings you can go through. There is the mine bosses house, a miners cabin, a school house for black children, a church, and a small village. You can go in each of these and look around and take photos.
An enjoyable place for the entire family.

I really enjoyed the mine tour and viewing the artifacts in the museum and suggest visiting the museum after the tour. It helped me better appreciate what the miners had to do to earn a meager living.

A hint for the mine tour - a small train pulls 2 open carriages. Try to sit as close to the middle as possible. I was on the far end of one carriage and could not see what guide was pointing out. I did remember the anecdote about how the miners put their (or their grandpa's) false teeth in the bottom section of the lunch bucket so a dishonest co-worker would think twice about drinking their water. It made me laugh when I saw those lunch buckets in the museum.

We like to learn about local culture when we go new places, and being from the midwest knew little about coal mining. The Beckley Exhibition Coal Mine is a complex consisting of a small museum, examples of "company town" buildings with informative docents, a log cabin village, a campground, and a 30 min trip by logging train into an actual coal mine (This was the only part you had to pay for.) The tour guides have all spent 20+ years in the mining industry. Our guide Curt was an amazing teacher, both knowledgeable and entertaining, trying to lighten up what would otherwise be a dismal part of our nation's history (in which all of us who have enjoyed a heated home or electricity have played a part.) He kept everyone of all ages engaged, even a small fussy child. (BTW, I wouldn't recommend the mine tour for preschoolers.) He made us laugh, made us think, and made us leave with a new-found appreciation of this industry.

We were in Beckley to visit New River Gorge and saw the good reviews for the coal mine tour so thought we’d give it a try if we had time. I’m so glad we did because we found the tour both educational and a lot of fun. Make time to visit if you’re in the area.

We spent two hours at the museum on a cold rainy day in May. The mining museum itself is good, but a bit limited. HOWEVER, the larger facility is fascinating. Several houses and related buildings have been moved to the site from mining camps and restored and furnished to represent how miners and their families lived. A couple of the larger ones have docents on hand in the buildings. We spent almost an hour talking with them. All were from mining families and had first-hand experiences to relate.

Even better was the underground tour, led by a retired miner. Seeing the equipment and hearing the stories while underground in a real coal mind was a unique and memorable experience. This place is a treasure of social and economic history.

What a great tour !!! So interesting to be driven through an actual coal mine all the while hearing amazing tales from our tour guide, Dorsel. His knowledge of the tools and equipment, the history of that mine and fabulous stories of years’ past helped to create a worthwhile experience. Our group was especially fortunate because we got to hear him recount true stories of his career working in the mines. Dorsel presented such an entertaining afternoon - i almost can’t wait to return and bring all my friends! Thanks, Dorsel 😊

This is a really organized museum with such friendly and helpful staff. We had the pleasure of having Don as our tour guide in the mine, and what a delightful man! He made this tour so enjoyable and memorable with his little asides. Seeing the different housing as well as the pioneer encampment was fascinating as well. And in the “childrens” museum area, we had a blast trying to figure out some of the brain twisters and puzzles. I would highly recommend this museum. There’s some steep inclines to walk and a few stairs. The entire area is very clean and well organized.

The tour was very interesting. The staff was very informative. Lots of walking to go thru the buildings & homes but worth it. The children's center was geared towards very young kids with hands on type activities.

One of the best tours that I’ve ever been on in my entire life!

Several people who were local had recommended this tour. It’s less than an hour from Charleston, but back kind of in the middle of a neighborhood. It is an old coal mine that a family bought to use for tours so people who are not familiar with the coal mines could get to know what it is like to be a miner. For me personally, the tour was life-changing. You go down into the mine just as if you worked there. There’s a tour guide, a retired miner, explaining everything you see. He took lots of questions and you could actually hear and understand what he was saying! He talked about mining from 1900 to present times. He talked about how mining has changed and how it has stayed the same. He also told us how dangerous it was. That part was absolutely shocking! I knew being a minor was dangerous, but I had absolutely no idea. It was as dangerous as it is even today. I would highly recommend anyone from age 8 to 100 take this tour! It could change your life!

This was very informative and enjoyable experience. Our guide worked in the mines for 45 years and provided great insight on what it was like to mine coal.

What a cool experience! I learned so much and had a wonderful tour with Don. He was a great guide and story teller. It was also great to be able to see the where the miners lived. I highly recommend stopping here.

This was such a great tour! Gerald was our guide and he was fantastic. As a retired WV miner sharing first-hand knowledge and experience made the tour for us. Took our 13 and 15 years old teens and they really enjoyed it. The actual trip into the mine was so awesome. The kids even enjoyed visiting the Homestead exhibit afterwards - so did we. Definitely worth the trip and reasonable price!

The ride in the mine offers an emotional glimpse at the conditions of the mining industry in the late 1800s/early 1900s. Our guide, Dorsal, was very personable, checking in with each group to see where they came from, and shared personal accounts of mining to complement his equipment demonstrations.

What a fantastic piece of history to restore and protect! Eddie our mine guide was outstanding! You will learn more about history, the lives of those who worked in the mines and how much better all Americans have today, because of the efforts of those before us. It was very interesting to travel back into the sections of the mine and see how technology improved on the working conditions of this incredibly hard and dangerous profession.

An absolutely world class experience and museum. The museum is beautifully done and the staff are friendly, humorous and very knowledgeable. Mine tour is not to be missed. Wonderful place.

Exceeded expectations. Our guide Gerald was very informative and funny. Loved getting to actually ride through the mine. The building that you can visit surrounding the coal mine also had volunteers with lots of information to share.

We went to the coal mine. We were excited because it was handicap accessible.The only snag we had was that I had to get out of the wheelchair to get into a mine cart. The tour was informative and interesting.

My husband really wanted to go here and it was a nice experience. The tour guide/driver was friendly and gave us a lot of information. The tour above ground was self guided and had staff in the bigger buildings that seemed very knowledgeable and were enjoyable to talk to. The coal mine does cause some anxiety as there is a lot of talk about the mine caving in (and how they prevent that). It is to be expected but it seemed to get said a lot. I did enjoy seeing it and learning about it, but was glad to see daylight when we got out of it. We didn't tour the youth museum.

You don't get to see much during your excursion into the old mine. Sure, it's 35-40 minutes riding in there. But actually most of the time you are stopped and hearing the history of what went on in there. You get a lot of information and a good feel for life working in the mines. But, you only stop like 3-4 places in the mine. Of that 35-40 minutes during the tour you are sitting idle for all but 5 minutes. They could do a much better job of having more to see and riding underground for a bit longer. Young kids may be bored by it. Otherwise it does seem a stretch to get your money's worth in there. Still, the museum and the grounds are worth a visit. Mining was a very hard life back in the day. It will give you an appreciation for those who lived in such a way.

My son (age 7) said this was awesome! I was afraid he would be bored by all the history, but he didn’t want to leave. Our tour guide Wilson was a retired coal miner, and he made the tour fun and enjoyable. I would highly recommend this for kids.

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.

I wish the actual museum, the second floor of the main buildings, was more extensive. Also, the price was a little high, but worth it for the experience.

What an interesting place to visit! My grandfather was a coal miner and this certainly gave me a new appreciation of the back-breaking work he endured. You get to take a trip through an actual mine as well as see exhibits and buildings that were at the mine. Our guide, Mike, was very entertaining and informative.

Was excited to experience this with my son on his school field trip. Waited in line for my ticket, was the next person in line to purchase a ticket and was notified they had reached full capacity to go underground with my child’s class. My only option was to wait for the class to go on the tour so I could do the grounds only admission when they were finished with the tour. There should have been some communication prior that there were a certain amount of tickets sold to go underground. Worst experience on any field trip thus far. It’s not the best feeling when you’re trying to console your crying child that you can’t go on part of the field trip and it was completely out of your hands. My family will not be back to tour by ourselves or with any other field trips for my other children. Would’ve given a 0 out of 5 if possible.

Not sure the kids were excited as we didn't zip around the tunnels much and it was stopping and talking, chock full of information that might not interest them. Just a tip! The staff was fantastic. They made we a fresh pot of coffee and the price was so low it was nearly free...same for my husband's soda/pop. We took them on the long porch with a bit of fudge and enjoyed the green hills sitting in the rocking chairs. Then we wandered around the property into the historic houses and over to the village. It was a delightful morning, thank you!

Never not ever did we expect to visit a coal mine! While looking for ways to spend the day while visiting nearby Pearisburg VA, we found the Beckley Exhibition Coal Mine during a GOOGLE search. My husband and I thoroughly enjoyed traveling back into time during the tour. Our guide, Marvin, a former miner was very knowledge, answered all of our group's questions, and made the experience fun and entertaining. Bring the kids! They will definitely enjoy this experience!!!

Awesome mine tour with Gerald! So informative. The village was really interesting too!! I highly recommend to anyone in the area.

Definitely worth the stop. Very informative and a great tour of the underground mine. Dorcel was a great tour guide. All the staff was great, friendly and very welcoming. Would recommend.

This was so cool to see. My husband is a coal miner so he thought it was awesome to see and I enjoyed getting to feel what it’s like for him on a daily basis going underground. The guide was so nice and we stopped at multiple points and he explained the history of certain aspects of the coal mines. After the underground tour we walked through the houses and it was amazing to see the history first hand. The church was beautiful. There is a museum upstairs showing more artifacts from the history of coal mining.

This was a great way to learn about the history of mining here in WV. Don, our guide through the mine, was great. He is so informative and passionate about sharing his knowledge of the mine and the mining industry. I highly recommend if you are in the area to stop and enjoy the history of coal mining.

So disappointed. All the brochures provided at tourism centers and travel info says mine is open daily. It is not. Thankfully we called before driving to Beckley and found out it is not open. Such a shame as this is a wonderful place for people to learn about coal mining and the local history. What a wasted opportunity...

This was our first time in a coal mine and the village. It was very educational on how the coal is processed. Our guide was very knowledgeable and able to answer all questions. I can see how this could have been a tough life back then. The village or camp is well organized to include something for all of your needs (doctor, dentist, barber shop). This is another good place for students to take a school trip and also visit the Youth Museum.

The underground rail car tour of the coal mine, led by a former miner, the visit to the "coal camp" buildings, where we were able to speak with docents, and the Museum itself, provided an extremely educational and fascinating experience. Going in, I was concerned that this place would be propaganda for the coal mining companies. To the contrary, the former miner and the docents were all very candid in explaining how badly the companies have treated the miners and their families.

The experience was also sobering, as our miner guide told us how his father and brothers had died of Black Lung Disease. He had survived only by wearing a respirator, for which he was teased. Most of his contemporaries have either passed on or are using supplemental oxygen and collecting Black Lung checks.

That is the sad and tragic reality of this industry.

This is a not-to-be-missed experience if you are in Beckley.

We debated doing this because we thought maybe it would be hokey, but we were curious about the coal mines. The guide was very informative, and we enjoyed the tour underground. The replica of the mining town was also well done and the guides were friendly and took time to answer all of our questions

My girlfriend took me back to where she was raised, and the first place she took me (besides Pasquale's the night before) was the Exhibition Coal Mine. It was so interesting to learn more about the history about the coal mines and what life was like for the miners back then. We got to check out the museum upstairs and see a lot of amazing artifacts. Our tour guide for the mines was Tank, and I'm telling the truth when I say I've never had a more engaged tour guide. He went out of his way to tell us multiple personal stories of growing up working in the mines from such a young age, and didn't shy away from talking about the lifesaving benefits of using respirators to prevent black lung. He even took the time to chat with us after the tour. If you are visiting Beckley and want to learn about the local history, I highly recommend this museum and tour.

I very much appreciated the stories that Gerald shared during the underground tour.
The houses, church, and schoolhouse and really fun and informative artifacts and displays.
Don’t forget your sweatshirt/jacket!

Great to spend an afternoon here. The mine trip is only about 30 minutes long, but well worth the cost. Our guide was Marvin, a retired miner with lots of stories to tell. The Coal Camp town was very interesting and some of the buildings had guides to tell you about the background of the structure. Seems like everyone there has some connection to the coal industry and living in a Coal Camp. A bit hard to find, but our GPS was able to take us right to it.

We took the Mine tour first. The little mine train allowed you to see all around the mine. The host was retired from mining after 40 years. He enjoyed his job talking about the coal mines :)
After the mine tour you can visit the grounds that have recreated a Coal Camp and they had all kinds of buildings to see what life was like. The boardwalks that connected the property made it easy to walk and see all of them. We then headed to the children museum that is included with the admission (I loved that! see that review for more information) then we went to the museum and gift shop. The kids sampled fudge and I enjoyed the books and knickknacks. They had some clothing too. We spent about 3 hours looking at everything and we could go back for more at the pioneer portion that’s also included in the admission. Lots of people to share about the history. What a great time and I know my kids and husband all walked away knowing more and having an appreciation for Coal Mining.

Interesting piece of WV history. Our tour guide used to work in the mines. We learned about advances in mining technology. We also learned of some unsafe practices and mistreatment of workers.

This was a fun and informative tour. The guide was really entertaining, and had a first hand account of what it's like to work in a coal mine. The Coal Camp Buildings were interesting to see, as was the historical buildings at the accompanying Youth Museum.

A Diamond of a historical presentation! Veteran coal miners share personal stories of their experiences working in the coal mines of West Virginia with visitors. We were emotionally immersed in the heartfelt personal stories shared by Dorsal of his days working in the underground coal mines. The presentation allowed us to feel the hardships and diligence of these hard working coal miners as well as enjoy the humor provided through the presenter’s stories! Guests ride in a tourist trolley deep into the coal mine experiencing the cool and dark conditions endured by the miners. A wonderful presentation where those attending leave with a new and informed understanding of the lives of the coalminers and their families. Additional oresenters in the surrounding buildings (miner’s house, superintendent’s house, schoolhouse, church, etc) provide additional understanding for visitors of the miner’s community life. This is such an amazing tour allowing you to fully experience a fully memorable and educational presentation!

We had a tour through the coal mine. It was very interesting with a great tour guide. If you are in Beckley I recommend this tour.

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. My kids and I loved it. 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.

Heralded by my West Virginia travel guide as the number one coal mine to visit when visiting just one in the state, the Beckley Exhibition Coal Mine didn't entirely live up to my expectations, which may just have been a tad too high. That's not to say that the whole experience was dull or uninteresting. The main draw is a roughly half hour cart ride into an old coal mine (they don't take you too deep underground, and there are no elevators or anything, so don't worry about that). The tour is led and narrated by a former coal mine worker, and I'm talking about a real life person, not just a voice coming out of a box. Often trying to decipher the man's tangy Appalachian accent, the tour was quite entertaining. Back on top, there's a cluster of restored houses representing life around a coal mining community (workers' houses, a school house, a church, that kind of thing). And then there's the mandatory gift store/cafeteria. You can easily do all in under two hours, obviously depening on your level of interest.

The underground mine tour is excellent! Our guide, Gerald was very good and interesting. He is a retired miner, and knew so much about the mine, and how things were in the mine over the years. There were a lot of visual aids and that made the tour even better.
There were also buildings that the miners would have lived in, as well as a school and supervisor's house.
Also, included were a series of log cabin buildings, and our guide Sherry did a great job showing and explaining all the buildings to us.
This attraction is well worth the time and cost. Do not miss it!!

Excellent place to visit- our guide Dorsel was amazing and confirmed all the stories my mom used to tell about my grandfather and his coal
Mining days. Dorsel thank you and your family for your years of hard work. You bring history to life. God bless you- we will be back.

As part of a tour group, this attraction stop was prearranged...and well-worth our time. The man who gave our mine tour was very intesting and informative and it was an added attraction to hear his added bits of information from his personal experiences. Our tour group filled all the mine train cars and he did a good job of turning his head to talk to all of us...BUT...when he was not turned toward us, we could not understand what he was saying...which was a true shame because he was so interesting, otherwise. He could have used some type of personal speaker system.
The houses, church, and school house on the property were staffed with people who told you interesting facts about life in those buildings.
There is also a nice gift shop.
This is on the National Register of Historic Sites and WELL WORTH THE TIME TO STOP AND TOUR!

We visited in 26-March-2024. First we visited coal mine trip. Remember, if you have very younger kids, then may cry because of the closed place and dark inside the coal mine. Our guide had to back out the train so that my wife and 2.5 year older can get down (as child was crying). Then we had tour of coal mine and it was very informative and interesting. Then we visited children's museum and my younger child (2.5 years) loved it. Overall, a great visit.

We really enjoyed our visit to The Beckley Coal Mine. It was informative and fun. Our guide Mike was very knowledgeable, making our tour engaging. I was raised in a coal mining community, so it was interesting to learn about working conditions and how the industry has evolved. It is tight in there, but you move from place to place quickly and stop in spots where there is room to stand up.
Highly recommend if you are in the area!

What a fascinating experience that gives you a greater appreciation for coal mining!

If your in the area please make time for a visit.

This Exhibition Coal Mine Tour is a "must see" if you are visiting West Virginia.
The tour guides share their knowledge as the tourists ride through the cool, dark vintage coal mine on a train. The tour guides are said to be veteran miners and thus have a wealth of info about historical accounts of mining.

The grounds are well kept and the employees are awesome. This tour is family friendly, so all can enjoy. But before you leave the meseum, parks, gift shop, homes etc Do Not forget to taste The Fudge. It is some of the Best!

Do sign up for the coal mine tour (unless you are very claustrophobic). There are also miners homes, a church, the boss's big house, all very interesting and important to see how these poor miners worked and lived. And although there is now a union which I'm guessing makes things better than when my grandfather worked in the mines in PA, it still is astonishing history.

i dont care if you just passing thru or live here. this place has to be experienced. staff is amazing. youth museum was awesome the kids loved the Thomas theme and the stars room. defiantly going to be visiting here every vacation with my kids

Dorsel was my guide and he had a lot of great information to share. I drove 1 1/2 hours to get there and it was worth it!

My sister’s and I do an annual hiking trip each year to a National Park. This year we chose New River Gorge. While we were looking for things to do we decided to check out the exhibition mine and museum.

The experience exceeded our expectations. It was cool to go into an actual mine after hiking the old mine sites in the gorge. Marvin was an excellent guide who was great at interweaving past mine practices, current mine practices, and historical events in a way that was easy to understand. Going into the homes at the museum was like a trip down memory lane. We enjoyed visiting with the guides about all the items in the Superintendent’s and mine worker’s homes that reminded us of our grandparents home from our childhoods. It was great to get their perspectives from their lives in the area. The effort and detail put into the museum are noticeable. I highly recommend visiting if you’re looking for something to do in the area. We would visit again.

We were in the area with some spare time and decided to check this out. I am so glad we did. The tour is led by retired coal miners that share real stories and experiences in the mines. The history, especially important given the changes in energy use, is preserved here and honors those that worked so hard for so long. You ride through the actual mine and get to experience the obstacles faced by miners. The gift shop and museum are also great. One word of advice: If visiting during the school year, visit late in the day when school children are less likely to be visiting. We caught the tail end of children departing...they were very loud.

Underground tour was very informative! Examples of miners house, superintendents house, school and church. Great museum and staff very knowledgeable.

We had not even thought about a mine when planning our trip to WV. I then read about the Beckley Mine Experience in a VRBO guest book. The tour guide did not work in the mines, but with mining companies for his career. We really enjoyed the 45 minute tour.

Wow, it had everything: charm, education, history, beauty, it had it all. Loved this place. Our tour guide was really fantastic. The tour was very educational. The surrounding buildings and live attendants were the best. Our kids loved it. Learned a lot and had a lot of fun. Even the youth museum was probably a little too young for my boys, but they went through it and it was so interactive that they all enjoyed the experience. I would recommend this to anyone, young or old, single, couples, family, doesn't matter. This place was fantastic. The tour is less than an hour but that is just one part of the appeal. There are about a dozen other buildings that you can visit, most with their own live guide, that you can really spend some time absorbing the local history and culture. We actually ran out of time.

Took the coal mine tour on 10-26-22. Gerald was an awesome tour guide and provided some of his personal experiences. Also really enjoyed seeing the houses and buildings on-site and visiting with the ladies and there stories/experiences. Highly recommend taking this tour to everyone visiting the area.

What a great time we had on this interesting and informative tour. Run by authentic coal miners, this tour was a fascinating glimpse into West Virginia's coal mining roots. Museum and tour were both fantastic, and gave us a greater understanding of what coal miners, both then and now, put on the line to keep our country rolling.

Includes a nice museum with coal mining artifacts and displays and a village of relocated buildings from area coal towns which help to show what life was like in coal towns of the past. The main attraction is a ride into part of an old mine on transport cars operated by a retired miner. The mine has been somewhat modified for safety and to include instructional displays for the visitor, which, coupled with the vivid and often personal narration by the operator, make make an enjoyable and educational experience for adults and kids.

We really enjoyed going through the mine and the guide was great. We learned a lot about the mines and would recommend it to anyone who enjoys history. The underground tour is about an hour.

Well worth checking out, especially if you have a family member that was a coal miner or a current coal miner. Very friendly, informative guides. All 6 in our group found it quite interesting.

The underground tour was absolutely top shelf. Our guide had worked in the mines in West Virginia for over 43 years. This is a must see attraction in Beckley.

Great day trip. Underground tour with Gerald was great! My youngest was so excited, but a little upset they wouldn't let him work a shift underground.

We saw the sign for this exhibition on the freeway bound for Dulles airport. We stopped on a whim and were very pleased with the fine and recommend it to anyone passing through the area. The docent led tour underground was interesting and informative. The docent was a retired miner and had many personal stories in addition to explaining the exhibits along the tour. We spent about an hour here but we did not have a chance to explore the mining town exhibits after the tour.

Found the museum on local attractions. We are glad we did. We got to meet Gerald who use to work in the coal mines. We did the underground tour with him and it was very informative and educational. If you want a great tour go see Gerald.

Great exposure to mining in West Virginia. I wanted my son to get a good idea of something characteristic of West Virginia, and this fit the bill. The buildings around the main one (simulating a mining town) gave a great background about life as a miner. The person leading our tour into the mine was an actual miner, which leant credence to his descriptions. I've been on mine tours before, but I learned some things on this one. Everyone was friendly too. Highly recommended.

Visited while on vacation in WV. We knew very little about coal mining until we did this tour. The main attraction is a ride on a low-bench rail car a short way into an actual former coal mine. Watch your head! The tour guides are all former miners; ours (Mike) was fascinating to listen to and had a great sense of humor. The rest of the property includes well-preserved buildings you can walk through, like the superintendent's house, one-room miner's shanty, schoolhouse, and church.

We had the best time visiting this attraction. The staff was friendly and very informative. It gave me a better appreciation of what coal miners went through.

My girlfriend has been wanted to take me to Beckley Coal Mine Exhibit for two years now and we finally got to go on Memorial Day and I’m so glad I went, I loved everything about it. The tour was very educational, the staff was so friendly and nice. I will be going back and I recommend this place to anyone who loves history and who just loves to explore!!

We took the coal mine tour with Gerald, a coal miner who worked the mine for 45 years. I believe he said he started coal mining in 1972! My husband and I both enjoyed the trip down into the mine listening to, as you can suspect, someone very knowledgeable about the past history of coal mining. I cannot even begin to imagine how anyone spent hours, days, and years on end working below ground in conditions no one should have to work! Besides the mine we toured buildings but unfortunately did not get to the museum 😢

So glad we stopped here while we were in Beckley! The Exhibition was educational and so interesting. Riding the car into the actual mine was truly an eye opening look into the experience of coal miners. Our guide Dorsel was the best! He shared personal stories that ranged from funny to heartbreaking and left a lasting impression. Shout out as well to Bea who was gracious, friendly and knowledgeable on so many topics. We were late getting out of the museum because we were enjoying the conversation and stories so much. So glad we visited; unanimous and enthusiastic thumbs up!

We really enjoyed this tour. Our tour guide, Mike, used to work in the coal mines. I could have listened to him for hours - he shared great stories and really gave you a feel for what life would be like in the mines. I had expected to take the tour and leave, but the museum, kids museum, and coal camp held our interest also. This is definitely worth the stop. You cannot reserve tickets in advance, but we were able to hop on a tour within the hour.

We thoroughly enjoyed the Beckley Coal Mine and. Museum. We went with a school group and the guides were fantastic! From Dorsal taking us into the coal mine, to learning what the red, white and blue mean on a barbershop pole. Lovely little gift shop with WV inspired gifts and homemade fudge. A nice time was had by all!

Awesome tour! Gerald was hilarious yet informative. The museum upstairs was great and quick to run through. The coal miners camp they have set up gives you a look into the living conditions of the miners back in the day. But the tour inside the mine was the highlight! Also, the absolute cutest little old man (Mickey Graham) was in the lobby signing his book (for sale in the shop) entitled The Last of the Poor Boys. Read a few pages and it was interesting so I happily bought a copy. A great visit all the way around! Highly recommend!!!!

We did the tour with Bob as our guide. He was informed and told details and info about his real life experiences. Very good. Museum is very informed. I recommend going.

Great place. Tours were great and overall an interesting place to stop. The tour guides were very friendly and educated about the mines. Lots of interesting artifacts to see

Dorsal was absolutely great and communicated his personal experience very well. They also have a great gift store!

We loved the coal mine experience. Don was a wonderful guide. He brought to life the miners experiences including his own. As we traveled through the mine we saw 1st hand what mining underground is like and learned the history of miners and coal mining companies.

This was a great stop on our tour of WV.
Gerald was an very knowledgeable guide during the ride into the mine

This is a must see stop when traveling South on 79 or 77. Set aside a couple hours...you won't be disappointed. The guides are so knowledgable. The houses, church, school, etc....It's like stepping back in time. The highlight is the coal mine tour! Don was our guide. A coal miner himself, he brings laughter and heart-felt "grit" to the tour. We left with such a deep appreciation for that era and the men who sacrificed everything for their families. Highly recommend!

Jerald was a wonderful tour guide. Very knowledgeable and funny. His tone of voice was very comforting. Bring a coat, it’s very cold!!!

Stopped by basically killing some time. Glad we did. Well maintained place, was very informative and interesting. Staff was knowledgeable and friendly. Our mine tour guide, Don, was fantastic and a very nice and friendly individual. This is a hidden little gem.

We had a great tour of the coal mine. Also enjoyed walking around the youth museum. Learned a lot. Would definitely recommond!

An incredible experience, to live absolutely. Very interesting and led by a former miner, the mine is visited in a small wagon, as if one were there and one can easily imagine the life of these convicts, because there are no other words.
If you pass by, do absolutely

My family and I went to the haunted coal min. Very disappointed. Not scary at all. The
Individuals there to scare did not scream, jump out or anything like the commercial portrayed. I understand its hard to find good help but in the event of haunted train ride you really need to know how to make it better for everyone.

This was a really interesting place to visit. They provide tours of an actual coal mine, and give a great history of what it was like to live in the area and work in the mines. Our guide, Gerald, was interesting and knowledgeable. The historic buildings were interesting as well. There is a nice little children's museum on site too (probably best for ages 10 and under). If you have any interest in the history of this part of the country, this is absolutely worth a visit.

Went in knowing very little about coal mining. Came out with a wealth of knowledge. Mike, the guide who took us into the mine, was fantastic and able to answer everyone’s questions. If your claustrophobic prob not the tour for you. It is pitch black when they turn out the lights. I can’t even imagine working a 12 hr shift with only a candle for light! After the mine tour we walked through the historical buildings -a superintendent’s house, a miner’s cabin etc. Bea sang us a beautiful version of “country Roads” while in the superintendent house. What a great voice and fun , educational tour.

What an eye opening experience. I went with my 22 year old daughter and 26 year old nephew. We all really enjoyed and learned so much on this mine tour. Gerald a retired miner was our tour guide. He was great. He made the mine tour fun and knowledgeable for all ages. It really opened our eyes to the back breaking work that coal miners experienced. He showed us how to light a carbide miners lantern and then turned the lights off so we could experience for ourselves the light it put out. This is an experience you don’t need to miss.

A great visit to this old mine and a slice of W.Va. history so important to so many.
Our guide, Wilson, was funny and informative. I enjoyed listening to his stories from decades underground. Our forefathers left us a legacy that should be remembered, and it is here in Beckley!

We had heard about this site for years and finally decided to visit. It was well worth it. You take a coal tram 1500’ into a real former coal mine. Our engineer/guide was Don, a former coal miner himself. Very knowledgeable, interesting and funny. Outside are restored buildings representative of those found in mining communities, super’s house, school, family home, etc. All in all a very interesting and entertaining visit. Highly recommend.

Interesting and informative. Our tour guide through the mine was a retired coal miner. He didn't give our group a sugar coated tour, he gave us the facts. He told stories and I could have listened to him for hours. I'd go back again. There is something for everyone to do and see.

Dorsey was the most incredible docent! He took us through the underground mine using facts and his own personal history with the mind. The information he shared related the difficult lives of miners and the grit it took to be part of their unique fraternity. We enjoyed every minute and left feeling informed and connected to our West Virginia heritage.

Everyone who works here is very friendly. If you tour the coal mine, bring a light jacket or sweatshirt, as it is typically about 55' inside the mine year round.

This is a great introduction to coal mining in West Virginia. Many members of our group had toured vertical shaft copper mines in the past so this was an eye-opening experience and a great precursor to visiting the state museum in Charleston that covered in detail the political and economical aspects of coal mining and their impact on West Virginia

We thoroughly enjoyed the coal mine experience. Our favorite part was the coal mine train tour with Don as our guide. He is amazing and made it an awesome, fun and educational experience. We highly recommend this tour.

Education and interesting tour of an actual mine. Curt our guide was outstanding. Excellent story teller and first hand experience.

Wonderful, well designed, interesting facility. We toured the grounds to include the Children Museum, coal camp, mountain Homestead, and the coal mine.
Added bonus... We stayed in their campground also. Wonderful place, great friendy, helpful staff.

The retired miner, Dorsel, was an excellent guide and storyteller. Coming from a family of miners, his firsthand stories and knowledge made for a great learning experience. This was my second visit over several years and I thought it worth another visit with my husband who had never been. The first guide was good or I would not have returned, but we thought Dorsel truly made us appreciate the hard life that coal miners lived.

we toured this real coal mine that was previously active. It was very educational .
A reality check the guide was a gentleman that previously worked as a coal Miner so had plenty of experience . You are able to take a cart ride into the mine, see the types of tools that the men used and hear about some of their experiences. On the property are buildings that represent coal mining homes and church as well as the indoor museum with old photographs and old tools that can be seen as well.

We were surprised by how much we learned about coal mining here. We had an excellent guide, Don, who entertained us with coal mining songs and personal stories from the mining experience. He was really great. We ended up spending much longer than we thought we would, looking into the houses and the museum. Definitely worth a visit!

We were 3 generations - including kids aged 12, 14 and 16. All thought it was a unique and interesting experience! Definitely recommend!

Great half day spot to learn more about the coal history in West Virginia. Tours are given by retired miners. Loved the underground mine tour, as well as the historic buildings.

I approached this destination with some reservation! "What do you mean we go underground.. in a REAL coal mine???" I've long said, I'll go underground when the good Lord puts me there! I can't imagine working in any type of mine.... with the earth over my head!

We visited the Exhibition Coal Mine and what an eye-opening experience it was! To learn and see first hand what early coal mining was like. Mad respect for those people! The houses, living accommodations, and everyday life are on full display in life like detail as you walk the grounds. Toss in the guided tour/ride into the coal mine with very knowledgable miners.... definitely worth the experience!

Put this on your, 'must see' list!

I have been to the Coal Mine Exhibition twice and it was equally fascinating both times. Our tour guides Don and Gerald were exceptional and shed light on there on own experience as miners. The museum above the tour as well had very unique artifacts and excerpts about what struggles miners faced and how conditions advanced. Highly recommend for everyone!

Purposely stayed overnight at the campground while traveling thru the area so we could go to the coal mine tour. All the reviews are true. This was fun, informative, interesting, and worth every penny for what I paid. I got a discount for admission because I was camping with my wife and son. I even would have enjoyed myself if I paid full price. The tour guide was great. Everybody in the ticket office/gift shop was extremely friendly and the cherry fudge was excellent. Do this tour when in the area!!

I've never been in a mine before, and the guide explained how difficult their jobs were. He and his father were coal miners, so he had first-hand knowledge. We spent almost two hours there, and enjoyed the exhibits in the museum, also.

We spent hours here! While the above ground museum portion was so interesting and informative, we were incredibly riveted by the underground coal mine tour with our amazing tour guide, retired miner Dorsal. He provided so much knowledge and background, all told with wit and a sense of humanity. We truly understand so much more about the history of coal mining in WV after this visit, as well as the impact on the people. Highly recommend!

Beckley Coal Mine Expedition was a very informative learning experience. The tour was very interesting. Gerald the tour guide was very informative.

We went near the end of the season -- late October. Because of COVID the underground mine tour was closed. Instead we sat in a shed watching a TV screen that showed a miner explaining what we should have seen on the tour. Problem was, the video suddenly stopped, went black and then restarted from the beginning. We had watched 15 minutes already and it started over. All the guy could say was that they controlled the video from the city and he couldn't do anything about it. WHAT?
We walked around the buildings and inside the small museum... Definitely NOT worth the money without the tour. The fee was reduced to $10 each (usually $12) Do they think the tour is only worth $2?
I wish we could have had the full experience, because it would have been much more enlightening and educational.

We stumbled across this spot looking for a place to stop for the night and we were so glad we did. The experience of venturing into the coal mines was really impactful. It brings to life the way so many worked to provide the country with energy. It is such a difficult life and gave us new appreciation for the coal miners. We thoroughly enjoyed our tour with Gerald. We also enjoyed wandering through the buildings which depict life in a coal mining camp.

Dorsal was our tour guide into the mine and shared many interesting facts and info about the life of a miner along with telling some wonderful stories of his own. We also heard how the industry has made advancements in safety.

We enjoyed visiting the museum which had several artifacts and also liked touring all the buildings that were part of the mining camp town. Some things we saw were reminiscent from our own past plus it was fun to explore other items of past history.

This was well worth the time to see and money spent.

This place is a must see! The staff was amazing from Lola at the front desk to our tour guide Tony the visit was incredible. The guides all have experience working in the mines and explain in detail the fascinating history as well as personal anecdotes from their experiences. Everyone was so helpful, taking time to answer each and every question about this unique and educational attraction. The gift shop was packed with reasonably priced souvenirs and the outside buildings really showed a slice of life for the hard working folks that risked their lives working in these mines. Thank you for an exceptional time!

We visited today, 7/16/2021. First let me say, wow! They have done an awesome job from the mine tour to the other buildings (single miner house, family house, supervisors home, school and church). Everything is awesome. Our tour guide for the mine ride, Gerald, was awesome! He gave us a great education on how the mines worked from the early days on up to modern times. Plan to spend a good two hours or more as there is a lot to see. The mine tour alone was about 45 minutes. I’m glad we took the time and made the hour and half drive to go!

This was a fantastic museum. I would recommend it to anyone traveling in the area. It gives you a real feel for the lives and challenges faced by coal miners. Everyone was friendly and helpful. The exhibits are interesting and presented very professionally.
Our tour guide Gerald had been in the mines for 40+ years and was very informative and had some really interesting stories.

My family of 5 went to the Coal Mine Exhibition while visiting the area. I would highly recommend! Our tour guide (Dorsel) was great! Yes, you do stop a few times on the underground train but they do a great job at explaining what you are seeing and what life was like. I would rather learn about what I was seeing then ride around in tunnels and have no idea what I was looking at. There is a small museum on the top floor of the visitors center that is very good. The outside buildings are really well done! You can see a school, a typical miner's house, a superintendent's house, a church, and one or two other buildings. I like how you could wonder around the buildings and actually get close to the items inside. Your admission also gets you into the Youth Museum on the same grounds. The inside was great for my preschool Thomas the Tank Engine fan but the rest of us enjoyed the outside Appalachian village. It was what life was like in West Virgina before the coal mines. Again, there were 5-6 buildings and there were costumed guides to explain each building. Overall, we really enjoyed our visit!

We had a blast today at the coal mine tour! The staff inside was delightful, and be sure to grab some of the amazing fudge! Don was our tour guide in the mine, and I am so happy we got the pleasure of spending time with him. He is clearly passionate about coal mining and kept us laughing the whole time! We travel a lot and he was sincerely one of the best guides we've experienced in the WORLD. Don't pass up on this stop.

Very interesting to go by coal train into a mine. Very well set up. Our guide was an ex-miner. The exhibition on the second floor should also not be missed.

This tour will forever change the way you see coal miners. Tours given by men who spent 35+ years in the mines. Go underground, experience the dark, confined and black conditions. Demos of the equipment, lanterns, ride on the actual rails, in the actual cars. These men are HEROES!

The tour through the old coal mine was very interesting and worthwhile as well as all of the historic coal mine buildings and mountain village. The people not only were very informative on what you were viewing, but gave a lot of interesting history.

We enjoyed the underground tour with a veteran in the mines. Gerald gets a huge salute from us. 👏 🙌 keep up the great job!! Thank you for the explanation of the different ways the miners used for light over the year's pretty cool. We also enjoyed that you kept the tour humorous and fun!! On the explanation of the lunch pail about the water 💧.

We took our family to the Youth Museum and the Beckley Coal Mines. 8&11 years old. They had a wonderful day!!

Well worth the cost. I feel sorry for the people who have to work under ground like that. Make sure you bring a jacket because it is cool inside the mine. There is also a gift shop and an indoor history display.

We visited the mine and exhibits today. It was very informative. The docents were excellent. It is a good place to understand the history of West Virginia.

Our family had a wonderful time and enjoyed touring. Our guide, Gerald was wonderful and we learned so much! Our 5 and 9 year loved the mine and school house. We were there for 2 hours and had to rush through the end.

We spent most of our vacation doing adventure activities and wanted something a little more relaxing on our final day. We’re had two teenage boys in our group and they had a great time! Gerald was our tour guide. The coal mine tour was very interesting. We knew nothing about coal mining but I told my husband everything I learned when I got home.

We toured the museum, the coal mine village, the frontier village, and the youth museum. The teenage boys enjoyed the train disparity and it brought back memories of their childhood. I enjoyed the brain games in the back.

Great tour. Gerald was our tour guide, he is awesome!!! The tour is packed full of information on the history of coal mining and miners. It was far more interesting than I had expected

Was beautifully kept with the mine and miner village along with a homestead village. They had folks there to answer questions. Well worth the trip. Thanks

This is a must see if you visit the area and the National Park. The tour of the coal mine was an incredible experience. We road with Dorsel - a seasoned miner, as was his Dad and brothers before him. Hard to believe people worked (and continue to work) in these conditions. Definitely don’t miss this. It’s worth the price of admission and more.

Was great, we went with my parents, was easy to follow and interesting. The simple life, the guide, everything was great!

This is a MUST see if you are in the area. Gerald was our guide. He was very informative. This tour continues to stay on my mind. It is something that everyone should see if they can do so.

This is a must see attraction. Our tour guide was Don Barrett and he was amazing!!! He shared his experience of working in the mines and growing up as a child while his father was a coal miner. Prices were very reasonable and so much history. My 10 year old son loved it!!

There is a lot to do here and it is close to New River Gorge National Park. They have a replica coal mining town set up. The old school house and church were my favorites. People need to realize how poorly workers were treated 100 years ago and how they had the courage to unionize.

Dorsal, our tour guide, is a gifted story teller and knowledgeable coal mining expert. He was patient, engaging, authentic, and provided an overflowing wealth of true stories and a lifetime of experiences. This tour is a must see!

We loved the underground coal mine tour. Big thank you to Gerald. The tour guides are retired coal miners. No one better to give a tour on the mine! Thank you for the experience. The girls enjoyed it too! (Ages 10 and 6)

After the tour, we walked down the hill (very short walk) and got a chance to talk with Roger and Chris at the Youth Museum as we were touring the outside. Chris is a blacksmith. He was very knowledgeable about the trade and fun to talk with. You could tell he was having fun while at “work”. Definitely stop by and see him.

If you ever wanted to tour what was once a working coal mine, there are several of these around the country but this one is one of the best. For a reasonable fare you get a 45-minute tour of the mine with a retired miner as your guide. He'll tell you some pretty compelling stories about what mining was like prior to modern technology. Makes my job sound like a walk in the park by comparison.

When the mine tour is over, take the time to visit the houses and facilities in the coal camp--a mini-replica of a small mining town. Note the appliances in the homes and apparatus in the church and schoolhouse that go back over half a century.

For families they have a children's museum too which is packed with exhibits that will keep the young-uns entertained.

They have a nice gift and souvenir shop but not much in the way of food--fudge, candies, and soft drinks, that's about it.

Fantastic! Started with the trip into the mine. Gerald, retired miner/guide, is courteous, knowledgeable, friendly, and downright fun. Then spent some time in the Appalachian village. Especially enjoyed talking with the blacksmith, Chris. Finished up in the youth museum and had almost as much fun as my five-year-old grandson!! Yeah, we’ll be back.😊

We learned a lot about what it was like to be a coal miner. The homes were interesting as was the little church.

Unique, must do that you can only do in WV. This is what WV is known for and what it’s history is built on. Dorcel gave us the tour and is the best. The man worked the mines for over 40 yrs, nicest guy in the world, movie star, and very helpful. God fearing man too.

Great experience!! well worth the time. Our guide was a retired mine inspector and very knowledgeable.

My family goes here often. It's a nice place to take kids for summer or Christmas time. Nice clean pool with slide. and Coal Time Christmas is great experience.

Everyone visiting the area should definitely visit this attraction. Personally, I learned so much more about the coal industry than I'd ever known, and gained a greater respect for everyone involved in the business and the risks and dangers. The guide into the mine was wonderful and shared his personal experience of working in the mines. In fact, all of the staff were so very helpful and friendly. My suggestion is to take the tour of the mine first, then visit the museum. I did the reverse, and wish I'd toured the museum AFTER the mine tour. Visiting the buildings is also a must. I spent most of one afternoon at the site, taking my time to take everything in.

This was a very interesting tour. Dorcel, our tour guide was funny but also a wealth of information. His first hand experience working in the mines and living in the area all his life, made the information so much more personal. We enjoyed not only the mine tour but also all the accompanying, buildings.

We took the underground railcar tour and toured the “coal community”. Very interesting piece of history. Gives hard labor, a whole new meaning. Learned a lot.

Surprised at what a great educational tour this is! We did the 45 minute train ride through the mine. My wife is handicapped and can't walk far. Easy to board the train and great commentary as we went through the mine with a guide that spent a 45 year career working the coal mines of West Virginia. Excellent tour and very informative. It's mind boggling to learn that 100 years ago men crawled into these caves and worked in the dark on their hands and knees in areas where they couldn't stand up. Highly recommend!

This is a wonderful educational entertaining experience for ALL ages. It was kind of sad to see how they used to have to mine the coal in such compact dark spaces. The guide on the train ride was excellent & a VERY knowledgable source of information, which he shared fluently as well as answering questions. I wish the you would have lasted longer.

The self-guided tour & presenters in each of the historic buildings was also good.

Unfortunately this is NOT a recommended attraction for their elderly or handicapped unless they can sit in a very cramped crowded coal car. I suggest another mine car be added to accommodate them. Getting into the mining car & sitting in the small space was a HUGE challenge for most.

Gerald was a great tour guide through the mine! The museum has so much to see, the ride through the coal mine was so informative and gives an idea of what it was like to work in the mines. The ceiling in the mine is high enough to keep the claustraphobia from kicking in and it was so worth going through. The buildings are set up so that visitors can walk through the 'village' and see what it was like back then. There is a kids hands on section, but as we had no children with us we didn't go through that part.

We saw it all, but I would go through again if in the area again.

Excellent tour by Dorsal! He was not only full of knowlegde, but he made it real and added some humor. Truly enjoyed his tour. He made sure everyone had a great time, especially the young kids. We’ve seen several mines but nothing as in depth as this one was. Highly recommend this tour. Don’t forget to your the schoolhouse and building on the property. You won’t be disappointed. Thank you, Dorsal!

Our veteran miner and guide, Dorsel, was amazing! It was and educational and entertaining experience. The price is just right. Budget yourself a couple hours for the 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.

Don was an amazing tour guide. We had such a great time exploring the buildings and learning about the coal industry and history.

Very interesting and enjoyable visit. Well done tour with knowledgeable guides and docents! Kudos to Beckley for celebrating their history!

We thoroughly enjoyed the mine tour provided by the exceptionally knowledgeable and affable Gerald. We were a bit apprehensive after reading how ‘cold’ it gets inside the mine, but we found it to be quite comfortable. Our self-guided tour around the property (above ground) included the former superintendent’s house, church, school and miner’s house. Every staff member/docent we encountered was eager to share information and answered all of our questions. This was truly an interesting and educational experience. So glad we visited.

Wow, we have a great appreciation for miners after this very interesting tour. Well worth a visit for any age. You will be amazed!

Traveling through the area and stumbled upon this place. Very nice gift shop/displays. Nice tour into the mine, friendly and informative guide. Great for all ages. I had teens with me but the activities for younger kids looked nice.