URÊKA Interactive Museum of Mining

Close to Limoges in central France is the URÊKA museum. Its subject is the mining of uranium since 1948. In the past six decades uranium has been mined at around 250 sites in France. The mine at Bessines employed as many as 1,500 people until it closed in 1993. The museum opened in 2013 and is now run by a voluntary association. The approach is to offer experiences and interactive engagement. Visitors arrive through a tunnel with objects, sound and light. Inside, they begin by seeing a film with 3-d animations, interviews and archive material that explain the science and development of nuclear power. Through graphics, sound and interactive displays they learn about techniques of prospecting and the lives of workers in uranium mines throughout the world. The tour continues into simulated underground workings brought to life with sound and projection. On the surface the park around the museum contains many examples of mining machinery.