Using mining heritage as a gateway to learning — for students, educators, researchers and curious minds of all ages.
Education Through Heritage
The Digital Mining Museum is more than an archive — it is an active educational resource designed to bring the history, science and human experience of mining to life for learners at every level. By combining immersive virtual environments with curated archival content and real community stories, the museum offers a uniquely engaging way to explore topics that span engineering, history, social science, environmental studies and regional development.
Education through heritage is at the core of the HI-EURECA-PRO project’s mission. The museum demonstrates how post-industrial sites and their legacies can serve as powerful, relevant teaching tools — connecting the past to contemporary challenges such as sustainable development, just transition, and the future of mining regions across Europe.
Learning Modules
The museum’s educational content is organised into thematic learning modules, each designed to be usable independently or as part of a broader curriculum. The modules are suitable for secondary school students, undergraduate and postgraduate learners, and self-directed adult learners.
Engineering and Mining Technology
Explore the machinery, extraction systems and technical infrastructure of Jiu Valley mines. This module covers the principles of underground coal mining, the evolution of mining equipment across the 20th century, and the engineering challenges of working in deep underground environments. Interactive 3D models and annotated diagrams make complex technical concepts accessible and engaging.
Heritage Studies and Digital Preservation
Examine how cultural and industrial heritage is documented, digitised and made publicly accessible. This module introduces students to the methods and standards used to create the Digital Mining Museum — from 360° photographic capture and 3D scanning to metadata creation and virtual tour design — and situates these within the broader field of digital heritage practice.
Sustainability, Circular Economy and Just Transition
Mining regions across Europe face profound challenges as fossil fuel industries wind down. This module explores the concept of just transition — ensuring that the economic and social transformation of post-mining communities is fair and inclusive — and examines how heritage can play a role in regional regeneration.
Regional History and Social Identity
The Jiu Valley has a distinctive history and a strong sense of collective identity forged by decades of shared labour, community life and political struggle. This module draws on the museum’s oral history collections, archival photographs and community stories to explore themes of working-class culture, migration, economic change and the memory of industrial decline.
European Industrial Heritage in Comparative Perspective
Situate the Jiu Valley within the wider landscape of European industrial heritage. This module places the museum’s content in comparative context, drawing connections to other mining and industrial heritage sites across Europe and exploring common themes of preservation, memory, tourism and sustainable reuse.
Case Studies and Datasets for Teaching and Research
The museum’s collections provide a rich body of primary source material that can be used directly in teaching and academic research.
Available Resources
Historical photographic collections documenting mine infrastructure, working conditions and community life from the late 19th century to the present
Engineering drawings and technical plans of mine shafts, processing facilities and surface infrastructure
Oral history transcripts and recordings from former miners, engineers and community members
Maps and spatial data illustrating the evolution of mine layouts and the surrounding landscape
Digitised administrative and institutional documents related to the operation and closure of Jiu Valley mines
For Researchers
Researchers working in heritage studies, digital humanities, industrial history, regional development, sociology or environmental science will find the museum’s collections a valuable primary source. The platform is designed to support open science principles, and higher-resolution materials and extended metadata are available for academic use upon request. Interested researchers are invited to contact the team via the Contact page.
For Educators
Teachers and lecturers are welcome to use the museum’s content freely in their courses. All publicly accessible materials can be incorporated into lesson plans, presentations and assignments. If you would like to discuss curriculum integration or request tailored educational support, please get in touch.
Student Involvement — Projects, Internships and Thesis Work
One of the distinctive strengths of the Digital Mining Museum is that it is built with students, not just for them. The museum has been developed through close collaboration between the HI-EURECA-PRO research team and students at partner universities, and this involvement is an ongoing feature of the project.
How Students Can Get Involved
Thesis and Dissertation Projects
Students in heritage studies, digital humanities, history, architecture, engineering, communications, tourism and related fields can propose research projects linked to the museum’s collections or development. Previous student contributions have included digitisation work, oral history collection, 3D modelling and content creation.
Internships and Fieldwork
Opportunities exist for students to participate in digitisation campaigns, community engagement activities and platform development as part of supervised internships or fieldwork placements. These experiences provide hands-on training in digital heritage methods and direct engagement with local communities and archives.
Collaborative Research Projects
Students and early-career researchers affiliated with HI-EURECA-PRO partner institutions can explore collaborative research possibilities within the project’s academic network, contributing to deliverables and publications while gaining experience in European research collaboration.
If you are a student or supervisor interested in exploring these possibilities, please reach out through the Contact page.
Using the Museum in the Classroom
The Digital Mining Museum can be integrated into teaching at multiple levels and across a variety of subjects. Below are some suggested approaches:
Virtual field trips — Use the Livezeni Mine virtual tour as the basis for an immersive class session, pausing at key points to discuss historical context, technical details or community impact. No travel, no cost, no safety concerns.
Source analysis — Assign students to analyse a digitised document, photograph or oral history testimony as a primary source exercise, developing critical reading skills alongside historical knowledge.
Comparative projects — Ask students to compare the Jiu Valley experience with other post-industrial regions they are studying, using the museum’s content as one case study among several.
Creative and reflective tasks — Invite students to respond creatively to the museum’s content — through writing, visual art or discussion — exploring what industrial heritage means to them and to the communities it represents.