Gruve 3

Mine 3 worked coal in the mountainside outside Longyearbyen from 1971 until 1996 and has been kept as it was left, so that a tour means putting on overalls, boots and a headlamp and going in along the low seam on hands and knees in places, through galleries where the machinery and the miners' belongings are still in position. The seam is thin, which is why the working height is so low.

The main sights

• The low seam - galleries so shallow that parts are crawled through.
• The machinery in place - equipment left as it was when the mine closed in 1996.
• The miners' belongings - personal items still in the changing rooms and galleries.
• The kit - the overalls, boots and lamps issued for the tour.

When to go

Year round; tours run through the winter as well as summer. Booking is needed as group sizes are small. The mine is a constant temperature inside.

Practical notes

Parts of the route are crawled through on hands and knees, and it is not suitable for anyone with claustrophobia or limited mobility. Tours must be booked and fill up. Clothes get filthy despite the overalls.

Nearby

Longyearbyen is east, and the airport is nearby.

Key facts