1093 OPENING FOR TOURISM AND MUSEALIZATION AS A SUCCESSFUL WAY OF REVITALISING MINING SITES AROUND THE WORLD J.J. Godłowski, M.W. Dziobek-Motyka Cracow Saltworks Museum in Wieliczka, Poland (Presenting authors: J.J. Godłowski, M.W. Dziobek-Motyka, m.dziobek@muzeum.wieliczka.pl) ABSTRACT Our museum is one of the oldest and largest mining museums in the world. For 75 years, it has been involved in preserving, securing and making mining heritage available to tourists. We have also created a platform for the exchange of experiences for mine managers from around the world at the International Conference of Mining and Underground Museums (ICMUM). In addition, our „Wieliczka” Salt Mine was the first technical monument to be inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List (1978) and is currently the most visited tourist mine in the world (approx. 1,8 million tourists per year). Our paper will present international transformation of mining complexes into technical monuments and their opening to tourism. It will present different types of mines: forgotten excavations from centuries ago, now being dug out, where industrial archaeology is developing; the second type - mines closed in the 20th century, often with ore processing and metallurgical plants, which have been converted into mining museums or cultural parks; and finally, the third type – functioning, underground and open-pit mines, which successfully open their excavations or at least viewing points and interpretation centers. We will talk about the various functions of historic mines: tourist, spa, cultural, entertainment, research and educational. We will present statistical data: the number and distribution of tourist mines on the continents, what types of facilities they are, and what minerals they represent. At the top of the list, which already includes over 1,000 tourist mines worldwide, will be sites inscribed on the UNESCO List (approx. 30 sites). Next, we will focus on the topic of proper preparation and safe access to mining facilities for tourism. How to preserve tangible and intangible heritage, how to showcase it, how to build a true, interesting and accessible narrative about mining and the earth's resources for viewers. Visiting mines is becoming increasingly popular. People are fascinated by the wonders of the underground. Museums give them this insight and should educate the public about the role of mining in the development of civilization, in the past, present and future. These are great places to teach young people that, without mining, they would not have their beloved mobile phones and anything else. Mining is a ‘never-ending story’; modern lithium and rare earth element mines will be historical monuments in 100 years' time. It is therefore important for museum curators and modern miners to work together and create a catalogue of good practices for the proper preservation of mining heritage for future generations. KEYWORDS Revitalisation, musealization, J.J. Godłowski, M.W. Dziobek-Motyka, World Mining Congress THE MANUSCRIPT The Wieliczka Salt Mine is located in southern Poland, in the town of Wieliczka, and is part of the Krakow agglomeration. The Wieliczka Salt Mine is the most spectacular and successful example of a transformation from a mining facility into a world-renowned tourist attraction. In 2025, it was visited by over 1.9 million tourists from all over the world and is currently the most visited tourist mine of all existing ones. But how did this happen? In Wieliczka and the surrounding area, the tradition of producing salt from brine sources using boiling methods dates back to the Neolithic period (3500 BC). A settlement was established here, and in the
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