Welcome!

The Museum knows the importance of a shared family experience on a visit to the site. Going underground is a part of this and we want it to be a fun and memorable experience for everyone in your group. We often get asked the question about how suitable the underground tour portion of a museum visit is for young children, particularly those under 3 years of age.

Please judge accordingly your decision to take young children underground. Our Admissions Staff can give you helpful suggestions and options.  

Here are some answers to common questions we regularly get.

Allow at least 1.5 to 2 hrs to visit the museum, possibly more for the complete Museum experience.

Wear comfy shoes, it takes 48 steps up to where the train departs.

Dress warmly, and for all weather. The underground train ride is cool. Literally and figuratively, and BOOM! is in the Mill which is not heated.

We recommend making a reservation prior to your visit to guarantee a place on the underground train. You can make your reservation here

In the underground tour there are a few loud moments when the drills are run. There is lots of warning and you will be provided with earplugs so that you can cover a child’s ears during the short but loud demonstrations.  

At the end of BOOM! there is about 30 seconds of loud noise.

Lights will be turned off in the underground for a few moments to show how dark the working conditions were. There will be total darkness for a moment or two, followed by a demonstration of working conditions by candlelight.  

Children may notice the dark, cold, damp and noisy conditions of the tunnel more than an adult.

Please judge accordingly your decision to take young children underground. Our Admissions Staff can give you helpful suggestions and options.  

The full underground tour is 35 minutes. You will then exit the tunnel and watch BOOM! in the Mill for a further 15 minutes.

We ask that parents/guardians keep in mind the pleasure and interests of others on the tour. Some young children can be impatient at listening which can be distracting

A Heritage Interpreter describes the conditions and equipment of mining in the past during the underground Tour; the tour is designed for a mixed but primarily adult audience.

The train ride is fun – but not the focus of the tour.  It lasts around 3 minutes.

Yes we have a cafe onsite, The Chatterbox Cafe, where you can purchase hot and cold drinks, sandwiches, soup and baked goods.

All children must wear a hard hat and one will be provided to a parent or guardian so that everyone has a hard hat underground. You may need to hold it over the child’s head. Our tunnel is extremely safe and inspected regularly. Hardhats underground are the law under the BC Mines Act.  

If in the event you feel you must leave the tour with your child, your guide will be able to tell you when it is appropriate to do so and how to exit the tunnel.