Bell Island
#2 Mine Tour
& Museum
Descend into the world’s largest former submarine iron ore mine original tunnels, original machinery, original darkness and step into the lives of the thousands who worked here from 1895 to 1966.
Iron Ore Mine
The Most Extraordinary
Heritage Site in Atlantic Canada
The Bell Island #2 Mine is not a reconstruction or a replica. It is the real thing original tunnels bored through ironstone bedrock beneath Conception Bay, original mine cars rusting on original tracks, original drilling equipment standing where it was left when the last shift ended in 1966. Walking these tunnels is one of the most genuinely immersive heritage experiences in Newfoundland.
From 1895 to 1966, the mines of Bell Island produced over 79 million tons of iron ore, making this the largest submarine iron ore mining operation in history. At peak production, more than 2,500 men descended daily into tunnels that extended kilometres beneath the floor of Conception Bay. The ore was shipped to steel mills across North America and Europe, playing a significant role in the industrial development of both continents and in the production of steel for World War I and II.
Today, guided tours descend into the #2 Mine with expert guides who bring the stories, the sounds, and the daily realities of Bell Island’s miners back to life underground. The Community Museum above ground provides the historical context, and the Theatre of the Mine adds an extraordinary immersive theatrical dimension to the experience.
71 Years Underground
The remarkable story of Bell Island’s iron ore mines from the first shaft sunk in 1895 to the day the last miner walked out in 1966.
What to Expect on the Mine Tour
The #2 Mine guided underground tour is unlike any other heritage experience in Newfoundland. From the moment you descend below the surface, the temperature drops, the light dims, and the scale of what was built here becomes extraordinary. Your guide leads you through tunnels where original ore cars sit on original tracks, where drilling equipment stands exactly where it was left on the last day of operations in 1966.
Expert guides bring the daily life of Bell Island’s miners to vivid reality the noise, the darkness, the extraordinary skill required, the camaraderie, the risks, and the pride. This is not a sanitized museum exhibit. This is the real place where real people worked.
Museum Welcome & Overview
Begin above ground at the Community Museum with an orientation to Bell Island’s mining history, artifacts, photographs and tools from the active mining era.
Hard Hat On Descend Underground
Receive your hard hat and descend into the original #2 Mine entrance. Temperature drops immediately to approximately 8°C. The darkness ahead is total except for lighting installed for the tours.
Walk the Original Tunnels
Your guide leads you through preserved tunnels past original rail cars, ore crushing equipment, drilling machinery, and the marks left by decades of continuous mining all untouched since 1966.
Stories of the Miners
Hear first-hand accounts and stories from Bell Island’s mining families the extraordinary community that grew up around the mines, the WWII attacks, and the profound upheaval of the 1966 closure.
Return to Surface & Museum Shop
Return above ground with a completely different sense of what this island and its people achieved. Browse the museum shop for books, heritage souvenirs and locally made items.
Inside the #2 Mine
Original tunnels, original equipment, original darkness a time capsule from 1966.
Original Equipment.
Original Tunnels.
Original Darkness.
What makes the Bell Island mine tour exceptional is that it was never cleaned up for tourism. When the mines closed in 1966, the equipment was simply left where it stood. The ore cars are still on the tracks. The drilling machines are still positioned where crews last used them. The timbers that supported the tunnels are still in place.
Walking these tunnels is one of the most powerful experiences of industrial heritage in Atlantic Canada precisely because of this authenticity. You are not in a recreation. You are in the actual place where actual people worked, often in very difficult conditions, for 71 years.
Original Ore Cars
Mine rail cars left on their tracks since the last shift in 1966 untouched and fully preserved underground.
Drilling Equipment
Air-powered drilling machines exactly where they were last positioned by the crews who operated them.
Iron Ore Seams
See the actual iron ore seams in the tunnel walls the dark red ironstone that drew thousands of workers here over seven decades.
~8°C Year-Round
Temperature underground stays constant at approximately 8°C regardless of the season cool, damp, and authentic to the miners’ experience.
Hard Hats Provided
Safety hard hats are provided at the entrance all visitors must wear them for the underground tour.
Expert Guides
Guides with deep connections to Bell Island’s mining community bring personal stories and detailed historical knowledge to every tour.
Summer 2024 Mine Tour
A closer look at the underground experience from a recent visit.
Theatre of the Mine Storytelling Underground
Beyond the standard guided tour, the Bell Island Community Museum offers the Theatre of the Mine a remarkable immersive theatrical experience set inside the actual mine tunnels. Visitors are welcomed into the dark tunnels and introduced through characters and storytelling to the lives of the miners, their families, and the extraordinary community that grew up around the iron ore industry.
The Theatre of the Mine combines professional dramatic performance with the unparalleled atmosphere of the real underground setting low light, cool air, rock walls, and the knowledge that you’re standing where thousands worked and some died. It transforms history from something you read about into something you feel.
This experience is particularly powerful for families with older children, history enthusiasts, and anyone who wants to understand not just what happened at the Bell Island mines, but what it meant to the people who lived it.
Theatre of the Mine Immersive Underground Theatre
A professional dramatic performance inside the actual mine tunnels authentic storytelling in the most authentic possible setting. Contact the museum for current performance schedules and booking. Bell Island #2 Mine and Community Museum, Theatre Avenue, Wabana, Bell Island. ☎️ 709-488-2880
What to Wear & Bring
The mine stays cold year-round preparation makes the difference between a great experience and a shivering one.
Everything You Need to Know
Practical information for visiting the Bell Island #2 Mine Tour and Community Museum.
Address
Theatre Avenue (13 Compressor Hill), Wabana, Bell Island, NL
Getting There
Take the 20-min ferry from Portugal Cove–St. Philips. Drive uphill from the ferry dock and follow signs to Theatre Avenue. 5–10 min drive from ferry landing.
Season
Seasonal operation primarily spring through fall. Check current hours and availability directly with the museum before visiting, especially off-season.
Phone
Website
Google Maps
⏰ Arrive Early in Peak Season
Mine tours run at set times and can fill up on busy summer weekends. Arrive early, call ahead, or book online if that option is available. Don’t miss the ferry back to Portugal Cove check times before you go!
🌡️ It’s Always 8°C Underground
No matter what time of year you visit, the underground temperature stays at approximately 8°C. Even in July, bring a warm layer. The guides will remind you at the entrance, but many visitors are caught off guard.
⛴️ Check the Ferry Schedule First
Always check the Bell Island ferry schedule at gov.nl.ca before departing. The ferry runs multiple times daily but schedules vary by season. Confirm your return ferry time to avoid an unexpected overnight stay.
🍟 Combine With Dicks’ Fish N Chips
Dicks’ Fish N Chips at the ferry landing is a Bell Island institution. Many visitors plan their entire day around a meal here it’s legendary. Perfect before or after the mine tour.
📸 Photography Tips
Low-light photography underground is challenging but rewarding. Put your phone in portrait mode with Night mode enabled. Wide angles work well in the tunnel sections. The ore car and equipment shots are iconic.
More to Do After the Mine
Fill your full Bell Island day with these attractions all within easy reach of the mine.
Common Questions About the Mine Tour
Everything you need before descending underground.
Bell Island & Avalon Peninsula Guides
Plan your complete Bell Island day trip with our locally written guides.
Go Underground
in Newfoundland
Book your Bell Island #2 Mine Tour and descend into one of the most extraordinary industrial heritage sites in Canada just 20 minutes by ferry from St. John’s.