Underground tourist routes as an element of Poland’s cultural heritage

Abstract

Underground tourist routes respond to current trends in museum development. They can be treated as interactive exhibitions focused primarily on the visitor. Former underground mines are also important elements of cultural heritage. They preserve mining equipment and traces of mining techniques. Through interactivity they can perform an educational function, presenting mining memorabilia and customs. Underground routes are also tourist destinations, attracting a significant number of visitors. The present study covered eight routes located in different regions of Poland. Their tourist value was assessed and tourists were asked to complete a survey regarding the routes. The significance of the mining heritage was described and evaluated. On this basis, the strengths and weaknesses of the underground mine routes as places of presentation of cultural heritage were identified. The sites surveyed are characterised by their high potential but the level of awareness and tourist use is not high. The underground routes with the highest cultural heritage value are also those with high tourist potential.