MPLC Coal Museum (Omuta Coal Industry and Science Museum)

Omuta has a long history as a coal-mining town that prospered around the Mitsui Miike Coal Mine. The Omuta Coal Industry and Science Museum presents the history of coal mining, from the days of hand digging to today’s mechanized, labor-saving methods. Visitors can learn about the coal industry that supported Japan’s modernization behind the scenes. In addition to exhibits on the Miike Coal Mine, the museum offers a wide range of hands-on activities.

A highlight is the Dynamic Tunnel, a simulated mine shaft where visitors can experience what it was like to work 400 meters underground. The massive coal-cutting machine and electric locomotive used to transport coal make a powerful impression.

In 2015, the Sites of Japan’s Meiji Industrial Revolution: Iron and Steel, Shipbuilding and Coal Mining, which include properties associated with the Miike Coal Mine, were inscribed as a UNESCO World Cultural Heritage Site. The museum serves as a guidance facility for the local component sites and has an information corner that provides an easy-to-understand introduction to this World Heritage Site.

The museum also screens videos recounting the history and events of the coal-mining city of Omuta through firsthand accounts, as well as films introducing the area’s industrial heritage and coal-mining history.