Suddenly, you realize that salt is more than just a seasoning. This is the Niedersächsische Museum für Kali- und Salzbergbau. It is a museum dedicated to the history of potash and salt mining in Lower Saxony.
The Niedersächsische Museum für Kali- und Salzbergbau started as a collection in 1991. It was called “Bergbaudokumentation Hansa Empelde”. In 1994, the city of Ronnenberg provided rooms for the collection. The museum officially opened in 1996.
Inside the Niedersächsische Museum für Kali- und Salzbergbau, you will find exhibits spread across seven rooms. These exhibits cover approximately 300 square meters. Models and objects showcase the Empelde potash mine and the Benther salt dome. Learn about the formation of salt deposits and the extraction and processing of salt. There is also a mineral collection.
See a recreated drift heading and a blind shaft within the Niedersächsische Museum für Kali- und Salzbergbau. These exhibits offer visitors hands-on experiences. The city of Ronnenberg supports the Niedersächsische Museum für Kali- und Salzbergbau. They provide rent-free space, cover operating costs, and maintain the building.
Outside the Niedersächsische Museum für Kali- und Salzbergbau, between the former company building and the town hall, you can find information panels and objects. These include a depth indicator and a rope pulley from Shaft III of the Kaliwerk. Also on display is the shaft cover. It has a diameter of 6.50 meters. There is a mine train from the Bergmannssegen-Hugo potash mine. It features a BBC EL6 electric mine locomotive with passenger and transport cars. A mine bike is also present.
Since its opening in 1996, the Niedersächsische Museum für Kali- und Salzbergbau has welcomed around 40,000 visitors. In peak years, the museum saw 4,500 visitors. Although, the number decreased to about 1,300 in 2013.
The Niedersächsische Museum für Kali- und Salzbergbau is open on Sundays from 10 AM to 2 PM. Guided tours are available by appointment. These tours last about 90 minutes.
The supporting association, “Niedersächsisches Museum für Kali- und Salzbergbau e. V.”, was founded in 1991. It has about 100 members. The association is recognized as non-profit.
The Niedersächsische Museum für Kali- und Salzbergbau illustrates the history of potash and salt mining in Lower Saxony. This includes mining, geological, mineralogical, and industrial-cultural aspects. It also covers the field of potash chemistry and its practical applications.
The Niedersächsische Museum für Kali- und Salzbergbau also features a salt exhibition. It showcases over 300 different salts from around the world. In a reconstructed “roadway heading,” guests can push a mining cart and knock off salt themselves. The museum provides insights into the industrial and social history of salt mining. A guided tour to the renatured waste heap is a special experience.
Salt mining significantly changed the landscape around Hanover. Many potash plants and new industries were established. Towns and communities grew as thousands of new residents moved in. The region thrived. Today, only one plant in the region is still active. All other plants have been closed or shut down for economic reasons. The Niedersächsische Museum für Kali- und Salzbergbau keeps this history alive.