Montafoner Bergbaumuseum Silbertal

Useful Information

Location:	Gemeindeamt, Dorfstraße 8, 6780 Silbertal (47.0946993, 9.9784193)
Open:	All year Tue-Sun 15-17. [2025]
Fee:	free, donations welcome. Guided Tour: Base Fee EUR 60, Per Person EUR 5. [2025]
Classification:	Silver Mine Copper Mine Iron Mine
Light:	Incandescent
Dimension:
Guided tours:	self guided
Photography:	allowed
Accessibility:	no
Bibliography:	Jochen Hofmann, Christian Wolkersdorfer (2013): Der historische Bergbau im Montafon Heimatschutzverein Montafon, Schruns 2013, ISBN 978-3-902225-51-1. pdf
Address:	Montafoner Bergbaumuseum Silbertal, Gemeindeamt, Dorfstraße 8, 6780 Silbertal, Tel: +43-5556-747-23. info@montafoner-museen.at Montafoner Museen, Kirchplatz 15, 6780 Schruns, Tel: +43-5556-747-23. info@montafoner-museen.at
As far as we know this information was accurate when it was published (see years in brackets), but may have changed since then. Please check rates and details directly with the companies in question if you need more recent info.

History

1996	Museum opened to the public.

Geology

Description

The Montafoner Bergbaumuseum Silbertal (Montafon Mining Museum in Silbertal) is dedicated to silver, copper and iron mining in the Montafon region from the 14th to the 16th century. The name of the village is no coincidence: it is called Silbertal (Silver Valley) because silver mining was of great economic importance. The 500 exhibits include archaeological finds, historical written sources and documents, historical photos, traditional tools and numerous ores from the mining area. Themes include ore deposits, the working conditions, extraction and distribution techniques, the social conditions of the miners and legal history features in connection with the office of the mining judge. The museum also has a replica mine, a small exhibition tunnel with a mine cart and miner. However, this is more of an exhibit than a show mine. The museum is run by the Heimatschutzverein Montafon (Montafon Heritage Society).

It is located in the municipal office opposite the parish church, which also houses the Silbertal post office branch of the Schruns post office. It was built using a mixed construction method, with brick and timber. There are also changing special exhibitions on the history of Silbertal. The building was a schoolhouse in the 1920s, which is why a few years ago there was a special exhibition about the teacher Johann Bitschnau (*1876–✝1929).