Photo of the Estonian Mine Museum in Kohtla-Nõmme, the Ida-Virumaa region, Estonia

This is a photo-review of the Estonian Mine Museum in Kohtla-Nõmme, the Ida-Virumaa region of Estonia. The museum is located in a closed shale mine called Kohtla, in the village of Kohtla-Nõmme not far from the town of Kohtla-Jarve. The museum's Visitor Center is situated in the building of former Enrichment Factory, where visitors can learn interesting facts about shale and its mining in Estonia and the world.

The underground part of the museum is a real mine, which was closed as recently as in the 1990's, when it became unprofitable. At first, the plan was to simply flood the mine, but instead, it was opened to visitors as an interactive and educational museum.

Down in the mine, visitors can ride a miner's train, taste a miner's meal, see some underground equipment, walk through tunnels and drifts with a guide.

Photo: Petrov Zakhar.