The above-ground museum was opened in 1987 and features exhibitions on the formation of the deposits, geology and mineralogy, and the 800-year history of copper shale mining.
After extensive renovations, the permanent exhibition "This and more all comes from mining" has been presented since September 2013. The 3 major themes "The Mountain", "Mining", "The Miner" present the 800-year history of copper slate mining in the Mansfeld region, taking into account the time reference.
Cogs, drilling and loading equipment, underground transport equipment, mining mechanization, equipment and machines for weather control and dewatering, as well as numerous models and pictorial documents give the museum its authentic character.
In the stockpile area there is an exhibition of the special shaft hoisting technology that was typical for copper shale mining.
The museum store offers literature, minerals and products from them, weather lamps and Geleuchte and other mining-related products.