When Is The Mining & Rollo Jamison Museums Open?

Updated

The Mining & Rollo Jamison Museums is closed from November 1 through April 30. Its tour season runs May through October. If you are planning a winter visit, the museum notes that special winter programming is listed under its programs and special events section, so check that page before assuming the site is inactive.

Tour Season at a Glance

Period Status
May 1 – October 31 Tour season; underground mine tours and mine train rides are offered
November 1 – April 30 Museum closed; only special winter programming, listed under programs and special events

What the Season Means for Your Visit

The one-hour guided tour of the 1845 Bevans Lead-Zinc Mine and the ride on the 1931 mine train are the centerpiece of a visit, and both sit inside the May–October window. The mine train runs weather permitting, so even in season a ride is not guaranteed on a given day.

The mine tour involves walking down a 90-step incline, where temperature and humidity change as you descend — worth knowing when you pick clothing and footwear for a summer or early-fall visit.

Planning Around the Closure

  • Summer and early fall: the safest window for the full experience — mine tour, train ride, and the exhibit galleries in the 1863 Rock School and 1905 Hanmer Robbins School.
  • November through April: plan on the museum being closed. Check the programs and special events listings for winter offerings rather than turning up expecting a tour.
  • Late October: the season ends October 31, so treat the final days of the month as the tail end of tour availability rather than a shoulder period.

The museum's three-acre campus also includes outdoor greenspace, a pollinator garden, and picnic grounds, and the museum store sells rock and mineral specimens and regional-history gifts — all part of an in-season visit.