Colliery Zollern, Dortmund

underground adventure world "Montanium"

Category: Arts & Culture

The shafts of the Zollern colliery in Dortmund have long since been filled. Nevertheless, visitors to the LWL Industrial Museum can now experience the world underground up close. In a developed section of the route on the Zechenplatz, guests can experience what it means to defy the forces of nature deep underground. Experimental stations, sounds, smells, darkness and audiovisual projections convey authentic impressions of the miners' working world. The Regional Association of Westphalia-Lippe (LWL) has now opened the first section of the "Montanium", as the new underground world at Zollern colliery is called.

In the expanded section of the route on the colliery map, various experimental stations deal with physical phenomena and the forces that act underground. Visitors can lend a hand everywhere and explore, for example, which material can withstand more pressure, steel or wood. Another experiment shows how you can lift heavy weights with little effort. All areas are at ground level and barrier-free.

KOBER lighting designers have designed scenographic exhibition lighting in 10 light dramaturgical scenes for the Montanium. First of all, the eye is adapted to the darkness underground via steps and thus the visitor attunes to the underground world as a whole. The general lighting levels were selected to be as dark as possible in order to ensure just enough light for color and contrast perception during the guided tours and to simulate a large spatial depth. The actual exhibits were "peeled out" of the darkness as light accents with higher illuminance. The general lighting was realized with cool light in order to emphasize the blue-crystalline structure of the coal seams. In contrast, the exhibits were illuminated in warm white. In terms of scenography, the tours are supported by gentle DMX-controlled dimming up and down of individual zones for visual direction guidance. The various light scenes are linked to acoustic and visual exhibition contributions via the media control.

Copyright photos:
Zeche Zollern LWL-Industriemuseum I https://zeche-zollern.lwl.org/de/
KOBER Lichtplaner