Your Underground Adventure Awaits!
Experience the Heritage of
Southwestern Wisconsin and the Tri-State Area
Tour the 1845 Bevans Lead-Zinc Mine, ride in a 1931 mine train (weather permitting), and discover the local history of the Upper Mississippi Valley Mining District.
In the heart of the historic lead-zinc mining region near the worldโs largest โM,โ the three-acre campus of The Mining & Rollo Jamison Museums preserves the heritage of southwestern Wisconsin.
Shop for rock and mineral specimens and gifts related to regional history in our museum store. Enjoy the outdoor greenspace, pollinator garden, and picnic grounds. Explore our exhibits on the nature, culture, and history of the region. Take the one-hour guided tour of the underground mine in the back yard, and ride the outdoor mine train.
Place-based exhibits and interpretive programs are located inside the historically significant 1863 Rock School, the 1905 Hanmer Robbins School, the 1845 Bevans Mine, and in beautiful outdoor spaces visitors are encouraged to explore.
Discover
The Bevans Lead Mine
More than 150 years ago Lorenzo Bevans struck it rich just a few yards from the museum back door. As you walk down the 90-step incline into the 1845 Bevans Mine, your senses will be alive as the temperature and humidity levels change. A tour of the mine takes you through over 100 years of local lead and zinc mining history. A visit to the headframe shows how ore was hoisted to the surface and hand-sorted.
The Mine Train
Climb into one of the ore cars and enjoy a train ride through the beautiful three-acre museum campus pulled by a 1931 Whitcomb locomotive used in the Blackstone Mine near Shullsburg until the 1950s. The train has delighted more than 300,000 adults and children since 1978.
Exhibit Galleries
Founded in 1964, our collection of regional mining artifacts and dioramas is among the largest in the Upper Midwest. Exhibits tell the story of Mississippi Valley-Type lead-zinc ore deposits, and how local mining led to the establishment of Wisconsin as the Badger State. Cultural history exhibits represent the one-man collection of folk historian Rollo Jamison. Displays of everything from boxing squirrels to hair wreaths, bull halters, and cigar molds and give visitors an idea of rural life in southwestern Wisconsin from its pioneer era through the 20th century.ย
Natural History
Cultural History
Science & Industry
Fly Through 200 Years of Regional History
Year-Round Programming and Special Events
Find out about seasonal festivals, camps, workshops, concerts, lectures and more.
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HOURS
In Season: May - October
Open Wednesday - Sunday
10:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.
Guided Mine Tours: 10:30 a.m., 12:00 p.m., 1:30 p.m., & 3:00 p.m.
Off Season: November - April
Closed Except for Seasonal Programs
405 East Main Street, P.O. Box 780 Platteville, WI 53818
(608) 348-3301