For the Love of Mining – Bergbaumuseum Graubünden Schmelzboden Davos
When we speak today of a love of mining in Switzerland or visit one of the country’s few mining museums, it is easy to forget just how gruelling everyday life was during the era of active mining. Mining – the exploration, extraction and processing of organic or mineral raw materials – has been documented in Switzerland since the early Middle Ages. In Graubünden, metals such as copper, silver and lead were primarily mined.
As there was no coordinated national involvement in mining on the part of the Swiss Confederation, this capital-intensive and high-risk activity was usually organised at a local level. Miners were often recruited from abroad. Even where deposits were relatively modest, mining could still be profitable – as the large number of often small mines in Graubünden clearly demonstrates. At the same time, mining could lead to tensions with agriculture: farms lost workers to the mines, faced labour migration, and had to share vital resources such as wood and water. In Graubünden, mining activity was particularly intense in the Middle Ages and the first half of the 19th century.
Today, this rich history is preserved in as many as three museums: the Bergbaumuseum Graubünden Schmelzboden Davos, the Bergbau-Museum Innerferrera, and the Bergbau- und Bärenmuseum Schmelzra S-charl. The Bergbaumuseum Graubünden Schmelzboden Davos – or rather the association “Freunde des Bergbaus in Graubünden” (Friends of Mining in Graubünden) – is celebrating its 50th anniversary this year.
The museum brings the history of mining in the canton to life, illustrating the hard work of the miners of that era, who searched for and extracted sought-after ores in remote valleys and at high altitudes. Visitors can also explore the extensive mineral collection, including the Calcite Cabinet and the Crystal Cabinet. Under UV light, many minerals glow as if in a fairy-tale world. The collection can be viewed during the summer months from Tuesday to Friday in the afternoons.
After five decades, the association now looks back on its significant work in researching and sharing Graubünden’s mining heritage. On Saturday, 6 June 2026, from 2 pm to 5 pm, all are warmly invited to celebrate the anniversary at Schmelzboden, Davos Monstein, and to visit the museum.