Manifesta 9 - The museum

A part of the coal mine complex has been turned into a museum, dedicated to its history. Mining in Waterschei started in 1924, but stopped in 1987. A lot of the workers in the mine were immigrants, especially Italians, who lived in the so-called cités. They are still there, the small cottages with their small gardens. And last but not least, the mine even had its own football team.

The history of the coal mine comes back alive with lots of pictures and slides, tools, machines, newspaper articles and various other objects. I especially liked the old pictures, many of which were taken in the mines and are a silent witness of how hard life must have been there …

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