Reviews of Miners Museum (Gardener)

Kevin McBeath

Received a special off season tour during the Coal Bowl Classic. Very well done.

Patricia Moore Murphy

Wonderful home cooked roast beef dinner..a great place to enjoy the atmosphere and friendly service. Great prices.

Tom Eijkelenberg

Nice museum. Really impressive stories from the former employees of the mine. I think people need to hear the stories so the history can be preserved.

H. C. Jimenez

Very interesting!

Laurianne Valiquette

(Translated) Superb tour of the coal mine by a guide with 25 years of experience as a guide and even more as a miner at the same mine. His stories are numerous and tell us a lot about the history of the mine. A visit that is worth making! It's about 12 degrees there, if you have your raincoat bring it! (Original) Superbe visite de la mine de charbon par un guide de 25 ans d'expérience comme guide et encore plus comme minier à cette même mine. Ses histoires sont nombreuses et nous en apprennent beaucoup sur l'histoire de la mine. Une visite qui vaut la peine d'être faite! Il y fait environ 12 degrés, si vous avez votre imperméable, apportez-le!

Nathan McDonald

Great tour guide, and a fun experience

Stephen Bardutz

(Translated) Excellent tour. (Original) Excellent tour.

Ted T

Great tour. Definitely worth it to do this.

Jaden Shah

Very good museum. I learned that German people existed in 1920 that is something i was previously unsure of

Uwe Gläser

very interesting!

Nick Wombolt

The mine tour is fabulous. What a great museum.

Phonse Walsh

A very interesting look into the local history of coal mining. A great restaurant and tour of an old mine among other artifacts are available.

Gerry Suggitt

Learn about the depravity and hardship that the early indentured miners had to endure. Makes one appreciate the easy life we now enjoy. Our guide was an 80 year old ex miner who brought the early days of mining to life. This is a must see for everyone visiting cape Breton

Kevin Babineau

Well worth the money for the underground tour

Jade Gilmet- Gillis

Excellent beet salad!

Theresa Butler

Tour guides were fantastic. Very knowledgeable guides.

Marie Claude Allaire

(Translated) Very interesting and having a guide who has been a minor for 32 years knows what he is talking about. To see, "a must" in the region. (Original) Très intéressant et avoir un guide qui a été mineur pendant 32 ans sait de quoi il parle. A voir, "un must" dans la région.

John MacIntyre

Amazing and unique experience. We had a time constraint and had to make a decision between Louisberg and the mines. I was outvoted by the family, but seriously; wow. I'm so glad we went here. Don't go to Cape Breton and not do this.

Robin Blair

Our tour guide Abbie, for the mine tour, was amazing. The rest of the museum was somewhat underwhelming. A few good displays, but not a lot. Also note, not much in the way of snacks or refreshments available.

J B (JB68)

(Translated) Excellent visit. I was very sad to learn that Canadian miners have also been exploited by their bosses, and that like in France the army shot at them when they tried to assert their rights to work with dignity. . (Original) Excellente visite. J’ai été bien triste d’apprendre que les mineurs canadiens ont eux aussi été exploités par leurs patrons, et que comme en France l’armée leur a tiré dessus quand ils ont essayé de faire valoir leurs droits à travailler dans la dignité...

Gary Taje

Good mining display...Men of the Deep pay here

static clutch

Great experience exploring and learning about the mining operation that went on around here, the tour guide Sheldon was great and told some very interesting story’s of the mine and his experience working there will definitely return in the future.

Josee Martin

Lots of fun and great experience

Jeane Laflamme

Terry was a great guide. The whole experience was fantastic and educational.

will savoie

(Translated) to overcome your fears (Original) pour vaincre vos peurs

Nadeem Khan

Gud place to visit

Mark Berkeley

What a great museum to visit. Very informative venue with cool exhibits all capped off by a walking tour in an actual mine.

Omar Ismail

You get to go in an actual mine. Enough said!

WonderWendy M

This falls into the category of: I never knew.... I never knew that the Canadian Government and the Province of Nova Scotia behaved so shamefully towards the Coal Miners and their families. They collected up convicts and pardoned them under the conditions that the former convicts join the Mining company's private police AND the provincially armed militia and go into the mining communities to harass the miners and the families of the miners; in an effort to prevent them from forming/keeping a union. The guides who take you into the mines are retired local coal miners and every one of them is a living memory of the times that were. Go and listen to their stories. You'll be amazed at what you didn't know.

Matthew David

A fantastic treat to go down into a mine and seeing the miner's village is a great look into how they lived in the past.

Dennis Heller

A must visit if in the area. Guides are former miners who provide a glimpse into the life and struggle of coal mining.

Colin Bodor

Be sure to take the mine tour as well, worth the small amount extra. Our guide was fun, informative and very real about the history of coal mining in Cape Breton. Be sure to watch your head!

Todd Maye

A shocking history lesson that we as Canadians should be ashamed. Literally slave labor for the people who worked in the mines for years supported by the Nova Scotia government. It's worth every penny to see the conditions of the work environment and hear the history of the mines at Glace Bay. Fantastic tour

Jeremy Buchan

Great experience to learn about the history of the Miner's in Cape Breton!! Reallly well done and fun!!

P Talamonti

Thanks Eric for the tour. We learned so much about mining. Lots of artifacts to look at. We think you should get paid more!

Brad Fiorino

This place was a great learning experience, our guide was amazing. It really showed the life and hard times the miners had to endure. Would definitely recommend.

David Macdonald

Did not get to go inside as we were later in the day. Toured the old equipment onsite. It's a shame that it is really deteriorating horribly from the elements. Very interesting site. The miner's memorial is very moving and a nice tribute to those who have been killed in the mine disasters. We met up with an older gentleman who was a retired miner who worked in the pits for nearly 40 years. He was amazing to talk to. He had so many stories and details. He gave us a tour of the equipment before he left for BINGO :) Great experience.

Matthew Lahey

My father (originally from around this area) told me repeatedly to go to this museum. I was not too keen on the idea, and thought it would be boring. After several other recommendations, I thought that I might as well go while I was there. I am very glad I went because it was a really fun museum with a really unique tour. You actually get to go into a mine (which doesn't sound as fun as it really is). The tour guides (former miners from this mine) are incredible and have stories about when they worked in the mine and the impressive moments they have seen and experienced. While being in the mine, which actually goes under the ocean to a certain depth, you get a real feel for what it was like, especially when they turn off the lights for a couple of seconds :O If you want a unique experience tied to the town and province it is located in, this definitely a must!

Kerry Tweedle

Fantastic...do the underground tour

Random Sarcasm

They changed their hrs and didn't update their site, Google maps had the wrong hrs too, even double checked last night. Drove all the way for nothing.

Juan Aponte

A must see when in Sydney NB.

Joey Roberts

Amazing family fun!

Thomas J.

detailed but tired.

Taras V

Very interesting place. The tour underground in the mine is very impressive. Great tour guides: telling fascinating stories from the miners' lives. Highly recommended.

Doug Mombourquette

Absolutely love it there!!

Steven W Holt

I'd never been in a mine before did this was definitely an awesome experience. The tour of the mines are conducted by retired miners which is awesome. I few of hours to learn a lot of history.

James Robinson

Mush hard work.

Ron Robichaud

Miners had it bad... Great tour and even better tour guides... Thanks

Tyler Buttle

Great!

Thomas Lucey

Really amazing, great tours and a great way to learn about the way coal mining was done.

Himkei

Don’t mind that it’s musty, this is a must-see portal to an important piece of the region’s history!!

Isabelle Muller

Very friendly former minor takes us for a visit in the coal mines of Glace Bay under the Atlantic.

Joy Henshaw

Abbie was a great tour guide!

Victoria Shoemaker

Awesome experience, great for a history lesson. Definitely recommend for friends and family!! Guide is a retired minor and very knowledgeable

Wayne Skinner

Awesome family event to do

Vince Scaini

It was an eye opener. Not good for those who are uncomfortable with 4 ft. high ceilings.

Kay

Very educational

Robert Wolf

Did the full tour which takes you inground into a real previously working mine. Allocate 2 hours for this very informative museum.

Lee Fraser

Beautiful museum wonder guides .thank you Anna

Patrick Jones

Fantastic tour guides. Incredibly informative. This museum educates you on the way of the miner and takes you back to see what mining was really like.

Joanne Bellafatto

What a wonderful experience! We were fortunate to have Abbie Michalik as our mine guide. He had the most interesting, heart warming stories about the mines from his, and his family's, own experience. Very educational!

Robin Taylor

We got to do sn underground tour of the mine it was really cool! I do feel bad for the families that lost loved ones in the various disasters associated with the mines, but they just opened a memorial outside the museum. This place is definitely worth visiting, it's an experience you won't get anywhere else.

Vincent Fung

Wow! What an incredible experience! This intimate and very educational your was led by a retired miner. Great stories and excellent overview of the history of mining. You get led underground into the depths of a coal seam where the guide will explain the history, dangers, camaraderie, and life as a miner. Highly recommended and a must-do experience of you are in the area. Our tour guide, Eric, was amazing!

Carol-Ann Robert

(Translated) The visit of the mine is worth the detour! (Original) La visite de la mine vaut le détour!

Andrew Xiao

Very interesting and enlightening tour. Really provided a sense of the kind of conditions miners had to work in. Be cautious not to hit your head as most of the tour takes place in tunnels 4-5.5ft tall. **Warning: will strain your back if you have significant back problems! (Bent over for much of 45min)

Gus Kalbhenn

No one should miss this opportunity to learn about the history of coal mining on Cape Breton Island . A humbling and wonderful experience.

s. t.

Amazing true-life stories told by ex-miners of the realities and hardships of both the miner and their faithfull helpers...the pit pony, as you are ushered down into the reconstructed portion of the mine. Difficult on the neck+ back during a slight descent on foot as you have to remain in a bent-over position.Floor muddy so appropriate shoes required. A little claustrophobic and cold 12°C. But the talent of the guide + his tales makes you forget your difficulties.

Ted Thomas

Tasty food and the best butterscotch pie I have ever eaten. Excellent service too.

Amy Hawke

Everyone who visits (or lives in NS) should visit this museum. It's and important part of our history as much as music, fishing and craft.

Sandy F

The miners museum was amazing!!! We went in and for 16 dollars you get access to there whole downstairs display of artifacts information and artworks as well as two videos that play on loop about the mines. The downstairs museum was so big I didn't even see the whole thing. Then they take you down to a room where your guide speaks with you about the mines our guide was a sweet older man who's father worked there at 10yrs old. Then you put on your hard hats and head down into the mines. My only warning is if you have back problems I would tread carefully the mines start at 5'5 in height and get as low as 4'2 anyone taller than 5'5 will be crouched the whole way. It is so worth it!!!

Qiqi

Loved it! Amazing museum with lovely workers!! So cool!!

Bruce Johns

Find out what it was really like to mine coal from real retired miners. Definitely worth the time.

Jeanne Shepard

TA great selection of delicious homemade food. The staff is very friendly. You will love it. Trust me!

Cecil Smith

Attended the Glace Bay Glee show at the Miners Museum in the Men of the Deep Theatre. Great location for smaller type shows.

Arthur Ma

Didn't have time to take the tour - wish we did. Displays were very informative.

James Danahy

Closed on saterdays

Brooke Dechenne

Great learning experience and a really cool place. Our guide, Abby, was amazing! 100% reccomend and will go back as soon as I can!

Robert Bowers

Great stories! If you do the mine tour, you need to be comfortable being bent over in a 48" tunnel for almost an hour.

Robert C

Great place to visit and a even nicer place to sit down and eat some food!

Matt Tamsett

Do the tour to get the full experience!

Darren Chan

Really cool experience inside the mine!

Amy Johnson

Cool tours with an ex-miner guiding us. He was very knowledgeable, and the mines are very interesting to see.

Sean Ridley

So we back in the mine

Nathan Gildart

This is a fantastic place to learn some Nova Scotian history, tour a mine with a retired miner, and get a feel for a miner's life.

Aidan Gould

Fun place to go with the family. The guided tour through the mine is a must do when you visit.

Marion Soroka

Wow being able to go in the mine and realize what my dad did to put food on our table was eye opening. The Mine Guides are so knowledgeable, and it was listening to my dad and his friends talking. SHELDON was our guide today and made us all laugh. A must to do if you are in Glace Bay Cape Breton

Kenneth Kissmann

If you happen upon Cape Breton you have to go up to Glace Bay and really really need to support and take this tour. My family including my 86 year old father, and 13 year old son were so blown away. Our tour guide, retired Miner 80 year old Abbie Michalik was a joy to be with. His retelling of his life in the mine while guiding us along the wet low cieling mine was a trip to a much harder life. This place is so special and such a testament to the abilities of men to do what needs to be done no matter the personal cost just to provide for his family. The displays in the museum portion are excellent, informative and to a degree interactive.

Doug Read

Great virtual tour and mine tour! Thx, Kenny. Kids loved it too.

Harris Semegram

Very interesting tour given by former mine workers

Joan Spares

Exceeded my expectations. But the tour might not be for anyone with claustrophobia

chris Audi1

this museum is a must go if your close to glace bay!! the visit was amazing ! our guide was wish and old man of around 70-80 years old he explain us how the mine was working and how the coal company {besco} abuse of the miners and their family the tour last around 1h30 maybe 1h45 max it cost 16$ and I think it worth it. if you planing visiting the museum let the sandal in the car and grab a good pair of shoes please note if your a tall guys or tall woman it may be more difficult because the roof of the mine goes down to 5'1" and then goes to 4' 2" around that but i think it worth it

Josh Cheater

This museum has been one of the highlights of our trip to Nova Scotia. It's definitely worth stopping in at. The tour into the mine was amazing. The tours are run by retired miners that know a ton of information on coal mining in Nova Scotia. The tour itself was eye opening into the history of the area and how hard people worked to put food on their tables and take care of their families. If you are going to Cape Breton is definitely worth going to. You won't regret it. Pricing for the tours are very reasonable for the quality and length of them.

Bernice Theriault

Amazing guide who had real life experience in the mines.

Bobson Wong

The storytelling by a former miner really helped me understand the poor treatment by the employer, BESCO. It was quite a history that made me appreciate our employment standards today. The tour into the [fake] mine also helped me experience the cramped working conditions inside the tunnels. There really was no better way to know the feeling if it had all been told purely by pictures or video alone. My one recommendation to the tour guide would be to use a microphone and speaker during the first part of the tour since the room we were in did not have the best acoustics for projecting sound. Plus it didn't help that it was right next to the virtual tour (i.e. the video introduction) which ran in parallel with the storytelling part. Overall, I believe the entrance fee of $23 was well worth it.

Marielle Bernier

Interesting place

Alex Guillaume

What an interesting visit

Satadru Pramanik

Top notch. The half hour historical film they show is full of wry humor, and the mine tour is excellent, run by retired miners who tell wonderful stories.

Skep Tikal

Make sure you take the underground tour!

Brian Smith

The best tourist stop I've ever made. It's a must on any trip to CB.

Michael Briggs

Lots of info the guy that took me on tour was a retired employee lots of info great tour

Mike Howse

Just was able to see the outside park. Interested in seeing what's inside.

Chrissy Bod

It's part of canadian history, it's a HAVE too place to go to when in Glace Bay

Elder Lynk

So much to learn

Michael Margulis

Too long speach of a guide. Kids was very tiered after more then 45 minutes of story. Defenetly not recommended for a small kids.

Eric Perreault-Chamberland

(Translated) Beautiful museum on the history of mining in Cape Breton. The visit to the mine is really worth seeing, impressive to think that people worked 12 hours a day squatting, in the humidity, the cold and the darkness. The guides are usually former miners who worked on the spot like Wishie Donnovan who made us relive what they lived at a certain time. Coal is everywhere, you can even touch it on the walls. The exhibition is interesting. (Original) Beau musée sur l'histoire des mines à Cap Breton. La visite dans la mine vaut réellement le détour, impressionnant de penser que des gens travaillaient 12 heures par jour accroupi, dans l'humidité, le froid et la noirceur. Les guides sont généralement d'anciens mineurs qui ont travaillé sur place comme Wishie Donnovan qui nous a fait revivre ce qu'ils ont vécu à une certaine époque. Le charbon y est présent partout, on peut même y toucher sur les parois. L'exposition est intéressante.

Sabine Vandomme

(Translated) Very good visit. Be careful because in the mine you have to stoop! (Original) Très bonne visite. Attention car dans la mine il faut se baisser !

Anne Baetsen

Interesting history and the story of what happened yrs. ago

Dar Villeneuve

Great staff retired miners tell story's of the past as they take you down in the mine

Bill Wolfe

Make the trip, no regrets. They guides lived it and have a passion for what they do.

grady Bonner

Awesome

Jason Surette

What a great experience! The guide was a former coal miner and he had great stories and truly made the experience feel authentic. Walking through the mine gave a good view into life underground. You cant get that kind of experience looking at photos. Had a great visit.

Campbell H

Tour was awesome

Tara Deveaux

loved it. educational and fun????

Stan Zubarev

Mine is interesting place to visit but the exposition is quite poor.

Gwen Davis

Very interesting. Full of history. Great learning experience. Something for all ages.

ajoy varghese

The tour was an experience that I will never forget. Our guide Eric was great and it was amazing to hear his first hand experience from being a miner. A must stop at Glace Bay.

David Muddle

Fantastic learning about the coal mining history of Glace Bay, and the sense of community that emerged from a hard and dangerous way of life.

Greg Reid

Very interested history on the coal mines in the area and the life of mine at the time. Loved the tour although it's low headspace for almost the whole thing.

Jason Vary

An amazing piece of history is told through the stories and experiences of former miners. Our tour guide Wish was the best part of our tour, giving first hand information and some humour to what was a tough life. We really enjoyed learning about the mining history of Cape Breton.

beaton57

Very nice place, men of the deep perform there

Christine Cranmer-Sargison

Such a fun experience with the family!

Robert Hill

Great place to visit if you wanted to know about a mining town and what was used

GLOZEL GLOZEL

Verry cool! Love the part where you can go down into a mine! Verry cool and worth the money. You usually can get some coal at the end. Has great views of the water on the outside. It is verry cool seeing the history. The thing is I find the movie you can watch is really long and Boring. Other than that this place is good!

Simon Green

What a great experience we had here. Our tour guide Eric was a miner at this place and he was full of stories. He was also funny and very informative of what life was like down a mine. Reasonably priced and totally worth the money. Would 100% recommend this. I would do this tour again. I loved it.

Ey Ko

Authentic guide with interesting stories on miners life

Nirav Patel

Must visit place

Ed VanWieren

Going down the mine was cool. Eric was a great guide. I would have liked to see more about the actual mining techniques and technology. The focus was on family and community. I get that given the impact mining has had on the history of the region.

Daniel Jeffers

Great your given by old miners

Hsing Chen

Awesome tour walk down to the underground mine

Peter Burian

We did the Simulation and museum Very well done but not inexpensive. Did not do the underground tour.

Salma Burney

An interactive, informative hands on experience! It's eye opening how the government and the company treated the miners like slaves and encouraged child labour. Our guide was awesome! ????????

Lana Rae Lawlor

Very knowledgeable staff! A real treat to explore.

Yuval Bitan

Very interesting tour under the ground

D H

worth the stop learn about the original coal boom here in canada the 1800s version of the oil patch

Kelly Beamsley

Loved this place because all the guides were former miners.

Gabe Ortisi

Awesome experience. Great Tour Guide!

Joanne Turnbull

This should be experienced by all. Well worth the money for this tour.

Chester Liu

A must see, amazing tour led by a real miner

Ian Hersmdolf-Placido

Amazing stories from the people who grew up there

Lloyd Steeves

Well worth the time to visit. Very interesting and informative ????

Janet Tyson

Great place to visit

Vic Tenaglia

Very interesting and I difficult way to make a living wage...

Bracken Smith

Nice mine tour

Terence Dwyer

Lots of coal mining information and equipment in the museum. Take the time to listen to the video presentations to get a proper feel for the coal mining life. And pay the money for the underground tour. Well worth it.

Jackie Beaton

Saw a concert of the Men of The Deeps. They were fantastic.

Jeremy Heinze

Wish was an incredibly knowledgeable tour guide. We all learned a lot and now can really appreciate the history of mining.

Kevin Bryden

Great visit as we have been into a few mines across Canada. If you want to tour the mine you have to be prepared to be bent over as the height gets down to four feet high it also took us 1 1/2 hours to complete our visit. My wife didn't do the underground part which was good if you don't like dark damp places. Our guide a former miner added a lot to the experience. If your interested in coal mining it should be on your list of places to visit.

Johanne Brisebois

(Translated) Super interesting. A must see !!! (Original) Super intéressant. À voir absolument !!!

Marc Mapplebeck

We have visited here many times, always a great experience! Wish is our favorite guide!

Matt Hiskett

Great museum for engineers or anyone who enjoys construction equipment. Take the mine tour, it is well worth it.

rudel stricker

An historical coal mine, active up to 1992, with many original parts and documents about the miners work, life, familirs, and sometimes death. Even parts of the original mines (under the sea) can be visited. And original former miners are ready to explain every detail.

Rain Bautista

Wonderful experience! It truly takes you to the past and provides you an experience like no other. It truly makes you appreciate how worker’s rights are now protected, unlike back then when the big corporation literally owns you and your family for life. A must see if you are in Cape Breton.

doomedhuman

This is a small, intimate experience and well worth the two to three hours needed. Make sure that you are close to the guides, all ex-miners, so that you can hear all of their stories as you walk through an actual former working coal mine. Watch your head and wear the hard hat at all times, it surely saved my noggin a couple of times during the tour. The museum area is well laid out with many historic items well displayed. You will come away with a true understanding of the history and hardships of the coal miners and the coal mining industry of Eastern Canada

Ted Dixon

Very well done. Must take the underground tour for the full experience.

Kurt MacLennan

Amazing environment, fireplace, on the Atlantic Ocean

Mustafa al rubai

Really good history lesson, it shows the work conditions back then and what they did to improve it. I recommend people to see this place. Heads up, the tunnels area as big, so there is a lot of bending.

Levi M

Incredibly informative tour through a real coal mine from a retired miner. Super worthwhile to visit.

Greg Reed

Awesome stories, wonderful music from amazing men!!

Jason M

Had the pleasure of having Abbie as a guide in the mines today. Abbie was full of energy, and had great stories of growing up in town full of mines. I highly recommend this tour if you're in the Glace Bay Area. Thanks again Abbie!

Jenn Wile

Loved the underground tour from an actual retired miner. The virtual tour was great, the guide said it's only been open a few weeks. Lots of staff behind the glass hanging out as we entered the building. Gift shop is severely lacking in options and items. Clean washrooms. Outdoor items could probably use a little extra TLC. Loved the company house as well. Company store was nice, would be neat if it had trinkets or magnets for sale. Didn't eat at the tea house.

Doug Johnston

What a great experience

Wade Fisher

Truly an amazing experience. Our guide was wonderful, knowledgeable and friendly. The restaurant was delicious and amazing sides. It took approximately two hrs, however; it felt very fast. It was so amazing to see an actually coal mine.

Janene M

Informative to learn about mining in Cape Breton. Our guide, a retired miner, provided a ton of insight, and answered all questions. Definitely go see and take the tour - it will give you a new appreciation for mining.

Tony Wang

It was really quite the experience to learn about the Miners and the Company in Cape Breton. Check out the tours, the guides are very knowledgeable and willing to share the history of the area. Definitely a must visit item for the list.

Mick M. Sahib

Pretty neat place to check out and definitely quite enlightening. There are some exhibits inside as well as outside. There is also a restaurant that you can eat at situated right outside the main museum building. Make sure you sign up for the mine tour, it's pretty neat to see the layers of coal under the ground. If you're a bit taller like I am it's tough with the low head space. The tour is about 40 minutes and you will have to crouch down or bend over. Can really give you some back pain! And water will be dripping down there, so wear proper shoes. The tour is $15 per adult and $13 for kids. Bring some cash to tip the retired miner tour guide.

robb hawley

Not bad.. Wasn't open the day I was there though...

Bob McKillop

The miners and their families had it very tough. Eye opening underground tour and the exhibit area was very informative.

Kat MacKenzie

Try out the restaurant!

Peter Campbell

We had a superb supper at Miner's museum restaurant. The food and service was great.

Greg Blazina

Great tour for everyone in the family. Tour guide Wishie Donovan is a veteran miner who gave a great tour for our group. The underground tour was definitely worth it.

Charlene Chiasson

Enjoyed the rich history of Nova Scotia Coal Mining. Our tour guide was clear, engaged with us and informative. It was a great tour.

Jean-Yves xxd

What an amazing place ! The tour guide was an experience miner. Be careful to not bomp your head. The ceiling is very low. Anyway I'm sure you will ????

Cary-Ann MacKenzie LPN

Absolutely incredible experience with an incredibly beautifully spoken retired miner as a tour guide. A MUST SEE, MUST VISIT!!

James Klaassen

A great place to explore the history of Cape Breton

Mike Corrigan

Intimate environment with a complete menu. Very relaxing. Friendly staff.

Marcus Matzick

Awesome staff and food

Monteigne Campbell

A must to see and experience. Take the underground tour. You will be glad you did. Tour guide, Terry McVarish was the best!

T Lazreq

Very interesting!

James Hutchinson

Amazing history

Walter Rudderham

This is a unbelievable and truely unique experience especially if you have family who worked in the mines here. Going through the tour is hard enough so i cant imagine what my grandfather and uncle went through. Do not miss this if you are in cape breton

Georgia Maracle

Incredible. The tour guide was amazing. Thanks, Wish!

Jaison Varghese

Very interesting place. Good

Blair Sparrow

love

Nicholas Paghal

(Translated) Great experience (Original) Great expérience

Liam Gallagher

Hadn't been in a couple years but what a great little tour for the kids and my nieces. Tour underground was eye opening and the miner who did the tour was extremely friendly and knowledgeable.

Jacqueline Jamieson

A definite must see museum & tour. Great piece of Canadian history. Also their Miners restaurant is solid 5 star rating.

Patrick O'flaherty

Interesting

From The Future

A must do in Cape breton

Jeff Raine

The staff were all extremely helpful. However, our tour guide went above and beyond to accomodate a tour group from France with very few people who spoke English who were also on our tour. The knowledge and insight provided during the tour was phenomenal, and contributed to an experience like no other. If you are going to be in the area, and don't mind small spaces, this is something that you owe it to yourself to do.

Natasha Walker

Tour guides are incredible!!! Highly recommend

Nicholas Hussey

Great museum. The restaurant next door makes the best seafood chowder I Had in my life.

Lorraine McRae

Awesome place, best part of our holiday!

Bernhard Lacker

(Translated) Very interesting insight into the lives of miners. Not for people with back problems. (Original) Sehr interessanter Einblick in das Leben der Bergleute. Nichts für Menschen mit Rückenbeschwerden.

Samuel Solomonov

(Translated) . A visit to the coal mine realizes how much trouble the miners suffered in their work is really important to visit the place and understand how the miners' lives must not be missed. (Original) . בביקור במכרה הפחם מבינים כמה קשיים סבלו הכורים בעבודתם ממש חשוב לבקר במקום ולהבין איך חיו הכורים אסור להחמיץ.

Robert Jensen

This is an outstanding experience! No one visiting Nova Scotia should miss it! Our guide, Abbie Michalik, was genuinely fascinating!

Sam Son

Well worth the visit. We were on a cruise ship that stopped at Sydney. We rented some bicycles and peddled out the museum for the day. Was not disappointed... highly recommend. Read the other reviews.. no need for me to repeat what has been written in reviews already. Just wanted to chime in that the tour was quite fun, very affordable, very informative, the volunteer guides are great !. As a suggestion, like to see an option to go down even deeper into the mines as part of perhaps a once per day 'high adventure' tour... a premium tour (pay a little more)... limited to small group.... similar to that what is offered at many cavern tours in the USA. Sort of 'adventure tours'. Perhaps earn the museum some additional visitors and income to help operate the museum.

Scott Brown

There are so many things to do in Cape Breton but this is a must. The guided tour of the Mine is so informative and frightening from a historical prospective. Our guide Abbie told stories that brought the History of coal mining to life with humor and a heartfelt affection for the people who lived this life. The food at the restaurant was simple home cooking and really complimented the environment and the experience.

Brian O'leary

Disappointed in the hew attraction. Thought it would more of an animated experience not just another information video. Entrance fee overpriced..

Eric Bernard

Nice museum. Need to take the mine tour. It’s really fun to do.

Hal MacLean

It's easy to if you short really interesting to for everyone

Barry Stafford

Fantastic your from an ex-miner with 32 years experience down the mines.

Robin Jones

This was awesome. Eric the retired coal miner was fantastic and should get a raise! Very interesting.

Wanda Profit

Awesome. Got to talk with actual miners.

Tiffany Wadden

Miner's museum was a very cool place to visit! The tour was highly recommended and did not disappoint! If you are ever in the area you must stop in :)

A. Fauville

Very interesting location, awesome to see the history!

Nick MacLennan

Great atmosphere..how really insane conditions were to work and live in..these familys were survivors that had to work like animal's to live..they were slaves to the rich British owners..great story teller from an actual miner..do not miss this museum on your visit....the restaurant was great and not pricey.....do not miss a chance to see and hear the men of the deeps ....

Pierre-Luc Pineault

Pretty interesting visit. There a small 10-20 minutes museum-like path you can take while waiting to go into the mines. Bunch of items and information panels plus a small looping video about coal mining. The mines themselves were really a unique experience I won't forget. The guide provided a bunch of informations, while we walked through the (smaller and smaller) mine shafts, which were decorated to be as they were when people worked there. The only problem is the ever decreasing height, at 6'2" it gets pretty uncomfortable by the end. Prices were great, more so for such a unique place to visit.

L mc

Don't miss this Museum and do the tour...the guides bring coal mining life alive! Wicked!!!

Dennis Fowler

Great tour, learned a lot, makes you appreciate how hard life was for the miners. The simulator was great!

Cathy McGraw

Just Great...Must do

Nick Wakeham

Excellent and a must see. Our tour Terry was extremely knowledgeable and a wealth of information during the tour before and during the tour of the mine.

Justin Wan

This was a great opportunity to learn about an important part of Nova Scotia's history! The museum is full of interesting facts and artifacts. I would definitely recommend the guided tour of the mine. Our group's tour guide had many fascinating stories about his long career as a miner. We learned a lot about the conditions miners faced throughout the history of coal mining in Nova Scotia, including various winter strikes. The guided tour offered a unique opportunity in terms of experiencing first-hand the cramped tunnels miners had to work in for many hours every day.

Marie Sabourin

Mine guide Abbie Michalik was awesome.

J D

The Miner's Museum was fantastic! Our mine guide (Eric) was excellent. Such rich history, and how horrifically they treated the workers in the early days! We still can't get over the fact that Eric's first mine was 42" high - and that he worked there for three-and-a-half years!!!! Thank you for sharing your stories and history. This was a highlight of our 17-day East Coast trip, and we are so glad we went. The Men of The Deeps concert was amazing also! A very great concert, followed by a wonderful chat with one of the 'Men'. Thank you for sharing your time and stories with our family!!!!!!

Navin Gupta

Worth a visit. Real experience of mine told my miners

Stan McNeil

The food was great and the service is excellent. The staff are friendly & work hard to please. We would highly recommend this restaurant to anyone who wants an excellent time and meal and enjoys the meals and the evening. And the relaxing evening.

Kevin Butler

Great information. Need to be short LOL. Very good experience.

Deena Ashizawa

The tour was excellent. We greatly enjoyed the restaurant. Wonderful staff, delicious food!

R Lem (Rocks)

I cannot say enough good things about this entire experience. Our guide, Wish, was fantastic. As a miner himself, there was not a question he could not answer, nor an experience he had not lived. We walked down into a coal mine and had a glimpse of how Cape Breton was shaped by this industry. I highly recommend this. It is not to be missed.

Wayne Anderson

This place is a must to see & u have to do the mine tour.It is only after u do the tour,u will see what our forefathers work. Wet,back kneading,black lung disease. Our tour guide was Eric Spencer a 30vetran Cole miner himself.Great mam,& a wonderful guide.Hats off to this wonderful Gentleman. ????

William Mckenzie

The rich history and the way it's told is something that must be experienced to truly appreciate it. Beautiful site.

maria m

Very interesting place! Lots to see and learn... Great guided tour underground

Kelly donovan

Recommend this to anyone visiting. Tour guide Wish Donovan was very entertaining.

Brandy Fish

love it

Reid Palmer

If you're just going for the artifacts and the written portions you'll probably find it interesting. The museum shines during its tour though. Led by retired miners you are led into a recreation of a mine shaft dug specifically for the museum. Our guide Sheldon was as much a hoot as he was highly informative. I would come back in a heart beat to take others through that guided experience.

Susan Giasson

Historic and a must visit

Tiffany Krahn

The tour of the underground mine is essential!

Carol Combdon

Great place to see

Peggy Matheson

Great tour guide. Many thanks Terry.y grandfather worked in a coal mine so it was very interesting to take a step back on time

Greg Harrison

The underground tour was very interesting. Tour guide Terry was entertaining and knowledgeable. The sound in the theatre was very poor. Signage needs improving. Definitely worth a visit.

Ann Ivall

Went a few years ago! Loved the experience! Visiting the mine was a life changing moment ! Especially see the men of the deep performing afterwards❤. A definite must do if ever I go back east.

Dan Martin

A must to see

Valerie Arnold

Very interesting tour of the mine. Our guide, Sheldon, a retired miner gave an interesting insight to the life and times of a miner working a coal mine.

Jan Kemp

Very informative. Wonderful to listen to the stories from someone who worked there. Good tour.

Karen Perron

Very intetesting. Love having the ex miners as guides

Susan Nosacka

This was one of the most amazing guided tours I've ever been on. Not only do you descend into a real coal mine, the tour was lead by a retired coal miner. Eric's stories from life underground were filled with drama, humor, heartfelt sadness and poignancy. I can't recommend this tour more highly. It will also give you new respect for organized labor, so under siege as is today.

Scott Knickle

The tour was very informative and through their experience and stories you learn a lot about the mining industry in Canada and how people were taken advantage of, the poor working conditions and the lacks of a decent wage and benefits. Going in to the mine was eye opening and makes you appreciate a lot of the simple things we take for granted - light, being able to stand up at work, washrooms etc. If you’re taller (I’m 6’7”) the tour can be tiring as you’re crouching for an hour - but if you can manage that it’s definitely worth doing!

Sam Gilmet

Very cool place to do drugs on top of

Ronish Gobin

The guided tour is a must.

Heather Powell

An eye opener. The museum is celebrating its 50th year and is currently undergoing some renovations and some much needed updating. At the CORE of it, it is something to experience. Be prepared to get dirty as you travel below the ground into smaller and smaller rooms on the DEEP.

Travis Young

Guide sure knows the history and was an employee of the mines. Lots of eye opening history there.

Laurie Evans

It really helped me to understand what a coal miner and his family's life was really like throughout the past 100 years or so.

Paula Greaves

Awesome museum and tour. Very interesting and informative!

Rachael Dorothy

Half of the museum was under construction when I went. Outside was fun to see windmills for power on the shore. They also have bike parking!

M M

The coal mine tour with a retired miner is not to be missed. We are an international family and have been many places, seen many interesting things. We were all (grandfather, parents, teenage boys) held spellbound by Wishie (our tour guide) as he recounted the history of mining in Cape Breton and in Glacé Bay, and his own family's history in the mines. I had a million questions when he started talking outside the entrance to the mine. By the end of our walk through the mine, a harrowing and fascinating trip, he had answered them all. And more. We were all so glad we found this place. In a world of fabricated entertainment, this was authentic and unique. HIGHLY RECOMMEND

Kevin Curtis

Left with a far better appreciation of the hardships re coal miners.

Jonathan Powell

Best experience in all of Cape Breton!

Pauline White

Awesome

Gary Fraser

What can I say. Its Glace Bays jem. Great people work there and you meet nice people from all over the world there.

Wayne Hughes

Very enjoyable. Very informative. Terry was GREAT

David Hutchinson

Great experience underground and to experience firsthand what miners had to endure.

Donna J

Best seasonal restaurant

angela holzapfel

Don't miss this tour!

Lou

Great tour.

Adam Lafontaine-Cook

Very knowledgeable and friendly staff. great tour. A must see!

Lauri Gallaway

Totally cool spot

Mike Barth

Very informative. The Journey down into the mine was really cool!

John Rogez

A great family experience awaits. Love the stories

William Haynes

Great place to visit. The stories of how the miners and their families were treated was upsetting.

Dan R

Incredible experience that's going to stick with me for a long time. Our tour guide Ken was fantastic and helped bring life to the men and boys who laboured in terrible conditions in the mine. His colourful personal anecdotes were a real plus. Not for those who are claustrophobic or don't like bending over for quite some period of time. An absolute must see!

Anthony McPherson

The one and only mine that I have seen

Phil Murray

Men of the Deeps concert was 5 stars. Mine tour was 1.5 stars.

Charlene Mackinnon

Awesome experience and knowledge with our guide Sheldon Gouthro our mine guide

Michel Brière

(Translated) Nice visit (Original) Belle visite

Chris Fletcher

Amazing experience. You get a real appreciation for what miner's have to go through.

Mary Slade

My visit to the Museum was well worth it.A group of us went to see the new Simulator and it was Awesome!! Seeing how they worked back then was so eye-opening and very informative.Just like actually being there!!!

Debbie Mcleod

Would highly recommend if you haven't been here. The staff very knowledgeable and funny. Keeps all ages interested.

Corinne Gaudet

Did not know about the underground tour was super excited. Worth the time.

Dan Roberts

My family and I loved this restaurant! The staff were friendly and efficient, food was delicious and fresh, and the atmosphere was cozy. Very clean as well. We'd go back in a heartbeat!

Melanie LeBlanc

What a great experience! The tour guides are retired miners who can tell stories from their own experiences. We'll worth it!

Lori OConnor

The food was amazing and the service terrific.

William “Bill” Whalen

Well done

Sara Forgie

This was my 3rd time visiting and my 3rd time with Wish as my guide. Great experience. My kids loved it. Very small space down below but worth it to understand the life of the miners. Thank you!

Heidi Hubley

Great to hear about the history of coal mining. Thank you to all the people who put their lives on the line every day.

Catherine Taylor

Nice to visit find out about our history

James Craig

Great experience. I'd suggest taking the tour but beware, the mine tour requires a lot of bending over .

Mark Elgar

Could have more artifacts and information but well worth a visit. The tour of the underground mine is amazing.

Fred Sun

The best part is the underground tour, which spends about 40 minutes in tunnels less than 5 feet high, if you are taller than 6 feet, be prepared for some uncomfortable bending.

Elaine Gaudet

It's a great experience underground with a great story of the past to go with It! Dress warm because your underground!

Michael Kollmann

The mine tour is really interesting with the guide telling great stories of the life there in the past.

Don Hermanson

A very important part of our history that all Canadians (particularly our children) should be aware of. Not only indigenous and ethnic minorities have suffered in our past. This is the story of how all the mining families at the time, regardless of their origin, struggled to survive, while callous company owners and managers with the support of the Federal and Provincial governments, took huge profits with no regard to their impoverished lives. Our guide Eric, a retired miner (and an excellent speaker), made the journey underground a tour we won't soon forget.

Paul King

The retired miner that does the tour was absolutely amazing!!!! The stories were awesome. Recommend for everyone.

Alex AT Vancouver

After visiting the museum and attended Men On The Deep concert, you guys will have definitely a spot on our hearts forever! I would like to visit you once again in the future! Alessandro & Simona from BC

Mark

Always a favorite of mine. Friendly staff and informative exhibitions on our mining history. A trip in the underground mine is a must do! Retired Miners give guided tours underground all the while explaining what it's like to work underground.

Darcy O'Neill

Great spot!

Stewart Slaymaker

The tour here is excellent, and was really educational and eye-opening about the mining industry. Tours are led by retired miners.

Suzanne Leduc

(Translated) Museum impressive to see with its mine (Original) Musee impressionant a voir avec sa mine

Chris Watso

Go into a coal mine! Mind the ceiling. The museum is filled with info and paraphernalia from Cape Breton's Mining age. It includes a guided tour of a coal mine. Say hi to Fred

Jay Meador

Excellent guide through mine, Abby, a former miner, did a wonderful presentation.

Jayeon Rew

The museum offers guided tour down an old mine. The tour is highly recommended as it is guided by a retired miner who can share with you real stories of miner's life. Plus, how often do you get to see and walk down in a real mine? An oppurtunity not to be missed! Make sure to wear sturdy shoes as it gets pretty moist and wet inside the mine. The museum also has a restaurant if you get hungry after the tour. The food there is pretty amazing too!

Paul Wilkinson

Amazing stop for CANADIAN History! Tour guides are experienced in coal mining and the history. I have roots in Glacé Bay and I’m glad we made this a stop!!!! Love it !

Bruce Duncan

A bit dated, but took the tour underground. Was a moving experience and well worth the time and money. Wish I could have combined it with a Men of the Deeps concert. Next time.

Patricia Schwartz

This is a great place to stop in Cape Breton. The tour guide does a great job, and it really gives you insight into how miserable a life the miners had. Be warned - the tunnel ceilings get down to about 4 feet - but you will be wearing a hard hat!

Melissa Frost

This was such a amazing experience!

Henri Tangeten

to see brings your back to a near past of this region for the understanding how the people lived here then and now and with ancien miner history is living

Sue Schwan

Amazing! Eric is a great fellow to chat with and gives a great tour.

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Amazing experience

James Rolfe

Fantastic experience. Informative. Would definitely refer this

Louisa Fleming

This is well worth seeing. It really made me appreciate how fortunate I have been after seeing how these early settlers were exploited by the mining companies. Our tour guide Wishie worked underground for over 30 years and gave us real insight into what it was like to work as a coal miner. Excellent tour and good value for the entry fee.

Kathy Fletcher

So informative. Thanks Eric. Great choir also

Michael Innis

Great to learn about mining that helped shape our Province. As told by the men who worked underground

Trevor Da Silva

Gerry MacNeil was amazing. He taught us about the very difficult life the miners had. How they were treated so poorly by the mining companies and how they were not support by the people that should have supported them. We were there for just over an hour and we found it difficult to be in an actual mine. Those that worked the mines were there for 12 hour shifts 6 days a week. The kids we took realized how lucky we have it. Highly recommend the tour. It gives us a glimpse of Canadian history.

Matt Green

Definitely recommend doing the guided mine tour, great experience!

Travis MacDonald

Toured across cape Breton with my family and this was hands down the highlight of our time. The museum is all right, some cool artifacts from that era and tons of news papers from events and stuff which was cool but our tour guide for the mine tour was 12/10 ⭐'s. Unbelievably knowledgeable, super interesting to listen to and hilarious. Check this out. We drove from our campground at Iona to get here and it was beyond worth it. I'd have driven twice as far and paid twice as much for the experience. There's period perfect company houses and a general store and an outside exhibit yard of mining equipment. Absolutely super cool. Just go to it. It's worth it. Take the tour, take your family.

Mike Bailey

Its closed most of the year...but an actual mining experience...when open you can actually go into 'the deeps'

Matt Moore

Went on a tour here while on the island for a wedding. Excellent tour guide who not only worked for the mines during the mining days of the east coast, but also lived the entire mining day experience. IF you like history and truth this is a must see place. WE keep the tours open the government doesn't. Every bit helps this small place.