Milos Mining Museum

The island of Milos in the Aegean has a history of mining going back 10,000 years to the Neolithic. Milos Mining Museum opened in 1998 in a purpose-built building on the waterfront with three floors of displays. Neolithic mining on the island was for obsidian, a volcanic glass used to make cutting tools. Later Milos produced sulphur, kaolin, pumice, manganese and rare minerals. It is today the largest producer in the European Union of bentonite and perlite, which have multiple uses for construction, lubrication, food production and medicine among other purposes. The displays include tools, equipment, clothing, drawings and photographs. On the first floor samples of the diverse mineral wealth of the island are shown with touch-screen information about them. There is also a large collection of obsidian artifacts. The website of the museum has information and maps to help visitors take seven different ‘geo-walks’ to see aspects of the island’s geology.