Located in the original Copper Queen Consolidated Mining Company headquarters in the center of Bisbee, the Bisbee Mining & Historical Museum preserves the legacy of the “The Queen of the Copper Camps.”
A Historic Copper Strike
Eight billion pounds of copper has been extracted from local mines in Bisbee. In its heyday, Bisbee was one of the largest cities between St.Louis and San Francisco fueled by rich copper deposits found in the Mule Mountains of southeast Arizona. Historic buildings lining the mining town’s old main drag stand as testament to the wealth concentrated in this small valley in southern Arizona.
A Memorial Worth Of Bisbee’s Heyday
Today, the Bisbee Mining & Historical Museum offers a glimpse into the lives of the early residents of Bisbee and the industry that defined the town. As the Smithsonian Institution’s first rural affiliate, the displays of local artifacts, historic mining equipment, and unique minerals is world class.
A Quick Tour of the Museum
The main floor of the Bisbee Mining & Historical Museum catalogues the realities of the mining town and the people that lived in it. Displays detail the rise of the Warren mining district and conflicts between paid miners and mine owners.
Upstairs displays simulate a mining company change house, mineral deposits, and crystal cave. Half and hour can easily be spent admiring the delicate examples of museum quality gems and precious metals. From historic tunnel miners, the displays transitions into modern open pit mining, excavation technology, and corporate administration.
Gibbsite and Malachite on Goethite [right]
