Walking through the museum and and heading into the mine are two different experiences. The museum shows what equipment was used to obtain coal 120 years ago, but it does explain the process as well as our guide did. Once you are inside the mine and see how they created small tunnels to obtain coal which was moved through the larger ones, you begin to realize what a tough life it was. Six year old boys were put to work walking mules, with oil lamps on their head. The workers, mostly from Ireland were slaves to the mine, since they made $0.13 cents after food, rent and equipment were paid for. They were paid with company made money, not our currency. Bring a jacket if you get cold quickly, it's 53 F degrees once inside. The ride into the mine hits 90 decibels at points, silicone ear plugs or noise canceling earbuds may be of use. Water constantly dripped around us, the bottom of your shoes will be muddy afterwards. read more

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Was very informative a lot to look at in their museum the tour had a lot of interesting information everyone was pleasant and helpful definitely recommend it read more

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This tour was unexpectedly awesome! As it was a rainy day in the Poconos, we had to divert from our original plan and look for something else to do. We stumbled upon this museum and decided it was worth a try. It exceeded our expectations! Our tour guide, Janet, was wonderful. She was clearly well informed regarding the subject matter and answered about 50 questions from us. Do know that you'll be taken into the mine via a small train cart with low headway. Once inside the mine, it is cold and damp so dress accordingly. Either before or after your mine tour, you can spend some time browsing the small museum. The tour inside of the mine lasts about an hour, so it's a brief activity. But the museum is only a hop skip and a jump away from the town of Jim Thorpe so you can easily add this in. Should be enjoyable for the entire family. I imagine most kids would be fascinated. read more

You want to do something fun and cool (both temperature and hip ways)? Visit this place. For real. Learn some local history while supporting the local economy. Coal has been a driving force for Pennsylvania, it had shaped how the state moved forward and has left a lasting impression all over the state. I am sure there are probably many different mine tours throughout the state and probably in many other states. However this one is a little different from others. Let me talk about the mine tour itself first. When you arrive you pay for your admission which allows you to browse about the museum and tour the mine. Tours of the mine take place I want to say every half hour. Dependent on the time you show up, you may get lucky and have no wait time. It is recommended that you wear appropriate attire such as closed toes shoes and maybe bring a sweater or jacket as it is always 50 degrees inside the mine no matter the temperature outside. When you make your way to the mine tour you do have the option to wear a jacket and/or helmet provided. I chose to wear the helmet as I know my accident prone self would need it, and I did, I whacked head getting into the train cart that takes you inside the mine. The ride inside the mine is bumpy, noisy and a bit wet. The mine stays a little damp so that is expected. Along your ride into the mine you make a stop and are told a few things and head further in. Once you get as far as you can you continue by foot. There are a lot of interesting things to see along the way and a lot of interesting things to learn. You learn that this was once the oldest running anthracite coal mine in the world. You also learn that this is one of the few mines that still have their shaft elevators still installed. Usually those are removed after the closure of the mine. This one went down another three levels. But don't expect to visit those levels as everything beneath the level you stand on is under water. You know, ground water and all with not pumps continuously running. You take a guided tour through the area making multiple stops at points of interest. If you have no knowledge of coal mining, or mining in general, you will learn the ins and outs on this tour. Because the people giving the tours are miners themselves. That's right, they still work in the mining industry, although it is a bit different now. Anthracite coal is in a bit of decline in need right now as there are limited uses for its use. I could go on and on about how amazing this place is and talk about every single thing that we saw. However, I will not bore you, but if you do come here and take the tour these are the points of interests I suggest you focus on. Look at all the shafts, there are so many of them, and at different angles, this includes the main shaft elevator, you can kind of see the water down below. There are some small displays throughout, check them out as well, they tell you about the dangers and how things worked prior to industrialization. Check out the mine hospital, this is really interesting about how these hospitals got started, thank a union for that. You then venture out after your walk through guided tour. You are then free to move about the museum part at your convenience. This can take some time depending how much you want to read and look at every single item that they have. There are a lot of items that are centric to the local area. Check out the video area, this gives you some oral history of the area in regards to what and how things worked over time. Also check out the anthracite coal jewelry, I had no idea they made jewelry out of this. There is a small gift shop here that sales a range of items from candy to shirts. Restrooms are on site outside. Ample parking. read more

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Terrific coal mine visit and neat albeit rustic museum. The immersive experience starts with a rail car trip into the mine. Right after entering, a wall of 51 degree dank air hits and transports you a hundred years in the past. Our tour guide Zach gave an animated and informative presentation. Afterward, we watched a movie that gave historical context and brought alive stories of the miners and the social movements of the time. Make sure you budget enough time to watch it and take in the exhibits. Bonus: got a chunk of anthracite coal as a souvenir. Nb: before coming here and we stopped at Perch in Jim Thorpe. Great restaurant featuring healthy food. read more

11/5/22 This was an EXCELLENT tour. Michelle at the ticket counter was kind and courteous and she's so good with people. Very sweet, informative and kind. Our experience got better and better. I highly recommend the mine tour! It gives you a true appreciation for the history of where we came from. And honestly how lazy and spoiled we have become. Just sayin. You get to ride on the tracks in a car. It's very low so lean down and don't bash your head into the roof! Sanitized hard hats are provided but not mandatory. They are used to keep you dry from dripping water. You will exit the car and walk in the mines- closed toe shoes are a must for safety and the mine is always a cool 50 degrees. Dress accordingly- the tour is an hour. It's not claustrophobic but the water drips down into the mine on a regular basis and water does degrade things after a while. I thought- "what if this mine collapses?" and "I wonder if this mine is inspected for structural integrity?" I turned my thinking around fast and enjoyed the tour a lot. I was told later that the mine is inspected monthly by the state and daily prior to any tours going through. It was very interesting and I learned there was a nun who prayed for the men who died in the mines daily at an alter made in the mine. We did not get to see it but they are considering digging -securing the mine deep enough to see it. Their lives were very hard. They had boys as young as 9 working in the mines tending mules. There were two shifts. It didn't matter what happened on your shift- who was injured- or perished- nothing left that mine but coal until the shift was over. We learned that company housing was included and miners were paid in "scrip" or "script?" They had to use at the company store. The company provided housing - if your husband died in the mine and you didn't have a son or someone else to work- you were forced to leave your company housing within 72 hours. It was extremely interesting. Many ethnic groups lived together even if they weren't technically family for that reason. Long before confined space monitors and sniffers, birds were used to detect gasses. If the bird stopped singing or fell ill you could bet there were poisonous gasses. The men chiseled veins of coal out working back to back swinging pick axes (that's not safe!) later they used air chisels. The mine was very noisy and dark. The most disappointing thing I learned is that Toll Brothers owns the mine- I hoped I would be supporting a local business. I purchased 3 cool miners shirts and magnets. Gifts and one for me. Can't we have anything just for local business? Women were thought to be bad luck- and of course weren't allowed to work in the mine. The miners worked in extremely dangerous conditions with explosives and gasses. Little boys were mule tenders and wore hats with flames to see powered by whale oil. At the end the kids on the tour were invited to choose some coal out of the bin and provided a small canvas bag. We (the adults) wanted to choose coal too. Watch for "peacock" coal- there are beautiful peacock colors in these pieces. They do not ask for tips and the tour guides volunteer so please consider giving a tip. The tour is inexpensive and veterans and AAA members get a small discount. You'll also receive a 10% off coupon to enjoy lunch nearby at coal miners bar and grill. Food is great but service is unpredictable lately. read more

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I just went on the 12 o clock tour and It was such a wonderful experience and an amazing end to me and my boyfriends trip to Pennsylvania. Zachary, our tour guide, was hilarious and answered every question as I thought of them before I could even ask. The tour itself was very clean and not excessively dirty or grimy, and the corresponding shop and museum were both kept clean :) The real highlight of the visit though was Michelle in the shop area! She was the sweetest lady from the moment we walked in to the minute we left :)) She absolutely added to the overall mood of my day and she seemed like she didnt hate her job, and people like that are few and far between in this day and age. I would ABSOLUTELY recommend this tour to anyone looking for a little history on the area, or anyone looking for some sights you wont see in your day to day life. My only recommendation for visiting here in to bundle up, as the shop and museum are a bit chilly (its october at the time of writing this), the mine is also 50 degrees. Truly a wonderful experience and I would love to return next time we are in the area! read more

The staff is amazing, tour guides are very knowledgeable! Wonderful learning experience, I go often and always learn something new! It has greatly improved over the years with new leaders. The museum looks amazing! Eddie was an amazing tour guide, the right mix of pleasant, funny and informational! read more

Yet another amazing place to go for a day trip in PA! The tour takes you up into the mine, the mine is at an upwards angle and where you stop, is 8 feet higher than where the tour starts. The mine is cool and comfortable and extremely cool! Just don't wear fancy clothes in case you bump the walls, it would suck to get coal and rust goop all over your clothes. But you learn the history, this place is well worthy of an extensive restoration project, to get the old lifts working, and the bottom two levels with the surrounding mines un-flooded, solar powdered water pumps would be smart. Anyways, it's $10 for the tour and museum per person. If your near here or planning a vacation, definitely add this to one of your destinations! read more

No 9 Coal Mine & Museum - Museums Near Me - Lansford, Pennsylvania

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Excellent tours and great history in the mines. Bring a light jacket.

Cool experience getting into one of the oldest coal mines. Kids loved the small ride and we're able to touch the coal on the walls inside. The guide was knowledge and was able to answer all questions with ease. The museum had a lot of history and antiques to view and learn. Support by visiting this hidden gem. read more

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"You load sixteen tons, what do you get Another day older and deeper in debt Saint Peter don't you call me 'cause I can't go I owe my soul to the company store" Tennessee Ernie Ford may have made those lyrics popular but this is the place where for 117 years (the longest operating coal mine in the world 1855-1972) those same lyrics were a fact of daily life for the miners who worked and in some cases gave their lives digging for black diamonds. You got three separate things going on here. Number one is the museum/gift shop. The gift shop is very small and quite honestly is full of crap. Somehow the one thing the lovely wife suckered me into buying here was some Polish/Slovak cookbook that came from a local church for five bucks. Number two is the museum. The Wash Shanty Museum houses the region's largest collection of mining memorabilia. This museum is the Panther Valley's "family attic" filled with equipment and artifacts of the anthracite coal industry. The museum itself is almost better than the mine simply because of the shear volume of actual records, pictures and equipment. You're not doing yourself or the place justice if you don't give it a good 30-45 at minimum look through. Number three is the mine. As discussed by other yelpers you'll be taken via mine train 1600 feet horizontally, not vertically like the mine in Scranton, into the mine and then you're guide will show you around. You'll see the old elevator, a couple hundred feet down to where the current water level is, the muleway, the hospital, where the mine had a cave in twenty-ish years ago from other mining that was going on near by plus a lot of other neat things. Our guide "Chris" (not his name, it's a long story) was great. He was funny & sarcastic but extremely knowledgeable about the mine, the area and his family's connection to both. As for the song lyrics that I started with, your guide with give you at the beginning the simple explanation of mining Economics 101 where sure you would get a job and sure you would get a "free company house" but between the injury rates and needing to buy everything from the mining company store it was a perpetual debt cycle that you couldn't escape from and even when the miner died it would carry to the next generation or else you're family would be homeless. I still like the mine in Scranton a bit more but No. 9 is Lansford is a winner that should definitely be on everyone's list of attractions to visit. If you go: Mine Tour & Museum -- $10.00 per person (Age 11 to Adult) Mine Tour & Museum -- $6.50 per person (Child Age 5 to 10) Child Age 4 or Under ---- FREE School Groups of 20 or More ----- $6.50 each Adult Tour Groups of 20 or More ----- $7.50 each Museum Only -- $3.00 per person October Haunted Mine Tours -- $15.00 per person CASH ONLY!!! Tours run from May to October on the hour from 11am-3pm mostly Friday-Sunday only but Wednesday & Thursday tours occur June-August and the museum is open year round. read more

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It was definitely a fun family experience just wear old shoes it's muddy and bring a sweatshirt it's like 50 degrees read more

No 9 Coal Mine & Museum - Museums Near Me - Lansford, Pennsylvania

Excellent tour-Daryl was very informative and a great story teller. Museum was loaded with interesting artifacts.

This museum and tour were fantastic. A 1 hour tour for $12 per adult, well worth the time and cost. The tour guide has to cut his tour short because there was just so much to talk about. We went down into the mine and walked a short loop, there are a number of little posters and "exhibit" type things placed around for educational purposes, and then there are actual artifacts from when the coal mine was in operation. The shaft elevator was probably the coolest part of the tour, it's scary to think how far down below your feet it goes. Definitely recommend this, even for young kids, as long as they are warned in advance that it's cold, dark, and dirty they will be fine. A really cool experience. read more

How can I describe the events at the No, 9 Coal mine and Museum other than horrible humiliating and unprofessional. Me and my 8-month pregnant wife went to this museum under the assumption that it was a family safe and safe for a pregnant woman to attend. We were very wrong. My wife suffers from PTSD from fleeing from the war-torn country of Ukraine and is sensitive to loud noises and being in confined dark places. As we got down to the mine she could not be in the area and was panicking. The train operator was kind enough to remove her from the situation and was the only decent staff member in the bunch. As my wife asked for her money back sobbing since she could not partake in the tour that's when thing started deteriorating. We were told there are no refunds and was insulated by the staff. How can a tourist attraction business treat their guest this way. As we demanded are money back, we were insulated, yelled at, and belittled by the staff and being called stupid for not knowing what the tour was. What gives them the right to say ''we do not need your kind here'' and '' I do not give a F#$% about my reviews and get the F$%*# of my property as they were smoking their cigarettes and blowing the smoke in the presence of minors and pregnant women. The overall experience was just downright gut wrenching. After demanding to speak to the owner to clear this up the called the local police on us and had us removed from the premises. I cannot believe in this day and age hate and bigotry are still alive in the old No.9 Coal mine. I would love to talk to the owner and discuss the mater to clear things up. The events from this day ruined my vacation and left a bad taste in my mouth from the experience. read more

Great time on the train and in the mine. Really interesting tour and musuem was cool too. Highly recommend!

I was surprised at how much we enjoyed this little museum and tour. Tours leave every beginning of the hour so we didn't know that and had just missed the last work so we had to wait 50 minutes until the next one. but during that time we went around the tiny museum and it was interesting. Not the cleanest place but I guess it goes with the aesthetic of a dirty coal mine. The best part was the tour. You take a small train like car into the coal mine on a set of tracks. Be advised that the caves down there stay at 50° all year round so make sure you are wearing warm enough clothing. Also it is wet in many spots so you might get dripped on and shoes might get damp. Dress accordingly. Our tour guide was very knowledgeable and let us ask any questions that we wanted to. Some kids might find it boring but my son is nine and he enjoyed it especially because he is obsessed with Minecraft. I think it's definitely a fun and historical thing to do if you're in the area! read more

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Definitely a highlight of our trip to the Poconos. Our tour was led by a 20-year veteran of the mine, so he spoke of his own first-hand experiences in working there, as well as history of the mine pre-union and the days of child labor. Actually being inside the mine made all the difference. As others have noted, it's cool and damp in the mine, so dress accordingly. read more

What a fabulous experience. You are taken into an actual coal mine in a coal car and then you step out and go on a very informative tour. My grandsons...8 and 10 were mesmerized with not only the mine but the information that the guide imparted to us. Wear old clothes and old shoes. You will get soot on you. I highly recommend this experience for kids. read more

Fun and educational tour of a coal mine ( now out of operation) that began operating in the early 1800s. The obstacles overcome by the miners were formidable, not the least being that the dangerous work was being done in such dark conditions. Children as young as 5 years old worked alongside small mules bred especially to fit into the tight confines of the mine. Our tour guide Ed was a true pleasure mixing a wealth of knowledge with great people skills. All in all a well spent couple of hours for a cheap price! read more

This place is incredible! Came up from Philly, and I have never been somewhere like this. They have a bunch of artifacts in the museum, which is great for anyone into history. The tour itself was very cool, they take you all the way inside the mine, and tour you around down there. It was a one of a kind experience, especially when they turned the light off during the tour, and we experienced true darkness. Seemed pretty safe for kids, as there was a family on my tour. Would recommend a jacket, as it was pretty chilly down there. read more

No 9 Coal Mine & Museum - Old elevator in the mine. - Museums Near Me - Lansford, Pennsylvania

Great learning experience for all who enter and feel the dampness in the air and the the small droplets of spring water tapping your head--I suggest boots and a light jacket plus the hat for the droplets- Take a moment and think about doing this type of work---check out their Museum as well--enjoy and a big shoutout to all who maintain the operation--I say more field trips for school children of appropriate age. read more

The No. 9 Mine and Museum is a must do when in the Lansford, PA area. It gives an first hand look at the lives and work of the miners and the difficulties they experienced underground. The museum highlights the hold the Coal Company had on the workers. They were paid by the ton, but had to supply all of their own tools, explosives, tool repair, etc. at inflated prices from the Company Store. By the end of the month, they may have even ended up owing money to the company. The museum is CLOSED on MONDAYS & TUESDAYS. Off season mine tours are limited. Check their website for current dates and hours. The brochures in local hotels and tour racks have the OLD PRICING. Museum with mine tour costs $10 per person (8/2015). The tour of the mine is a MUST DO. Be sure to dress warmly - PANTS and a SWEATSHIRT. The walls in the mine are dripping water and leeching iron. If you touch or lean against the walls, you will stain your clothes. The tour is really interesting. The mine car ride into the mine is noisy. Small children may want to bring earplugs or use their fingers. The tour guides are very knowledgeable about the history of the mine, mining activities, methodologies, and miner organized labor. Totally worth the time to get there. The museum is more like a giant attic collection of coal mining memorabilia. The displays are haphazard and disorganized. It helps is some of the staff walks around with you explaining things. There are some cool albums of images & death tolls. You are allowed to open the albums and binders of articles, pictures and records. The floor in the mine shaft has been lined with large gravel. Not to friendly for walkers, wheelchairs or handicapped people. read more

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My friends and I had an amazing time exploring Coal Mine 9! The museum was very large and had so many hidden gems throughout. Our tour guide Zach was brimming with knowledge as he explained the history and functionality of the mine throughout the centuries! The entire experience was unlike any other and for $10 it was extremely affordable! I highly recommend! read more

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We were originally going to tour the old jail museum in Jim Thorpe but there was no place to park and I'm too lazy to walk blocks to do anything. So since we spent gas money to get there and this wasn't far away, we figured how bad could a coal museum be. Thankfully this turned out to be awesome! It was neat to see the old tools, learn about the income and working conditions. The amazing part is you actually ride a coal car and enter into a real mine. You walk about 600' touring the mine which is about a one hour guided tour. Things I didn't know was being a coal miner was a step above slavery, the coal companies basically owned the miner. If he became too sick or died, the family had 24hrs to replace that man or else the family would become homeless. This job was absolutely horrible and I feel bad for anyone that had no other option than to become a miner. The guided tour was definitely an eye opener and would recommend this tour to families with children older than 6yrs old. The mine is constantly wet and cold so wear old shoes and warm old clothes. read more

Excellent museum and tour. You take a mine car into the mountain, then it's a walking tour inside. Reading about how dark and cold mines are is nothing to standing inside that giant structure. Our guide- Quinn- was knowledgeable and fun! For $10/pp, I feel like I got a steal! read more

The best Coal mine tour I have ever been, and I've only been to one. John was our tour guide and so AWESOME. He was very friendly, entertaining, and knowledgeable about life as a coal miner back in the 1800's. Something very eerie and interesting about the place especially how they worked, lived, died, etc. This is not to be missed if you are visiting the Poconos. Entrance is only $10. The museums had so many great relics from inside the coal mine this depicts life and shows you the true hardships and how easy we have it now folks. read more

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This is the oldest mine you can tour. Zac was a very informative and gave you details about the mine that takes you to a different time in our history. Sad story of how workers, esp kids, were treated and the hardships they endured. Amazing assortment of mining tools in the museum and the video was very informative. Well worth the $10 and friendly staff. read more

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If you have never been in a coal car which transported employee into the mine or under ground then this is the place to come --knowledgeable people who operate this outstanding business is a place to bring your older children and to take in what people did for their families--History--got to read more

Nice place, pretty quaint. Worth it to take the tour! The people are super nice and really informative.

ATTENTION: Cash only! The building part of the museum is fairly decrepit and uninteresting. There's a LOT of stuff to look at and it's a little overwhelming because there's absolutely no system or order to it. Aside from that, the cart ride INTO the mine was AWESOME. Scary, insanely loud, a little dangerous feeling, but super cool. Our guide was local and had family that worked in the mines, so his information was familial. I would have liked a more informative and historical approach to it, but I'm in a mine. That's not a place you find yourself often, so I'm good with it. If you get the chance to come here, do it. It's an hour long tour inside the dark, dreary and dripping 52 degree mine, so wear a coat! read more

A great place to go if you're in the area and want something to do that is fun, unique, and educational. The museum is an impressive collection of things related to the coal mining industry, including tools, photographs, documents, newspaper clippings, clothes, and even anthracite jewelry! Be sure to talk to one of the people there to get further insight into what you're looking at. The tour was incredible - it kicks off with a loud and clattery ride down the tracks into the tunnels, where the temperature drops and the air takes on a distinct smell. Our tour guide, Carmen, was excellent. He is very knowledgeable about mining, the miners' daily lives, and the history of the industry. You get to see the tunnels and the machinery and get an idea of what it must have been like to work in the No. 9 mine. My dad and I really enjoyed our visit to the mine museum and the tour, and highly recommend it! Keep up the great work! read more

I very much enjoyed the authentic tour of an actual anthracite tunnel which had its start in the 1850s coal mining boom. The feeling of entering the below ground excavation area for the first time by train car is something I'll always remember. Our helpful volunteer tour guide (Chris) was a masterful storyteller and was able to not only inform the group of nine that made our way into the deep dark mine, but also helped us to imagine a hard work life of an original miner, and their original mining apparatus, all paid for out of their dues. They also have state certified inspectors check the mine daily for stability, so it is as safe as any underground structure could be. I highly recommend this tour and it is worth a trip. The museum and mine were combined only $8 for a complete tour which took a little over an hour. The museum has a light budget, but fortunately they are able to heat the place perpetually through winters using a stash of coal they sold out to a distributor. The museum has artifacts that are preserved and cased in glass enclosed exhibits with a thin layer of coal dust, untouched for who knows how many years. Unlike many modern museums which attempt to exhibit information in clean glass cases using typed signage with everything in a certain order, this showroom display was much more accessible than that. It looked more like somebody's personal notes from years ago were attached to everything such as the actual payroll records from the 1950s and all that made the collection feel even more genuine as it had been left all alone in its original state rather than made fancier to show. read more

Overall, this was a very cool experience. The mine was not tourist beautified and the guide knew his stuff. Somehow, we got stuck with a snotty group of Cub Scouts (NJ Pack 22) whose leaders did not set much of an example or try at all to make their rude little ones behave. The guide spent more than half his time trying to get their attention. While very hard to look past this, it was a cool experience that is not easily had elsewhere. Highly recommend as it's easily worth the 10$. Don't get stuck with the junior cub scouts, though. read more

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I had more fun than I thought. I don't know how they are usually but since I went over the July fourth weekend, it was packed, they had to turn some people away. The tour is 10 dollars for adults. I was able to take my dog, small dog. I was carrying her all the way because it is muddy. The ride in the mine will be loud so if you have children or a dog who's easily scared, it might not be the best thing but give it a try! It is chilly so bring a light jacket. read more

Great place to see, and spend time with family. I would recommend this place to anyone looking to go in a mine tour.

Incredible tour, this is a must-do attraction in the West Poconos! They take you right into the Mine in a mine car, it's not claustrophobic, tour guides very knowledgable. A few cool surprises, once inside the Mine. read more

If you like seeing a part of history then this is the place for you. They do tours of the coal mine, a museum, a picnic area and you can see old trains. Worth a day of visiting. read more

Great place to learn about the mining history in Lansford. Bring a sweatshirt or jacket for the mine tour. Excellent museum.