United Company Funds Hands On! Coal Mine
The United Company Charitable Foundation awarded a new grant to Hands On! for naming The United Company as sponsor of the Katie Ellen Coal Mine. The grant enables Hands On! to renovate the Katie Ellen and to provide new geology and conservation programs at the Museum and in classroom outreach programs.
Visitors to this favorite exhibit are invited to ring the bell as they enter the mine, slide into the underground Katie Ellen, and crouch and crawl into the the nooks of the mine. This exhibit allows families and visitors to experience the history, culture, and science unique to this region through the workings of the mining industry.
Since its opening the Katie Ellen, which occupies 2800 sq. ft. on two levels of the Museum, remains among the most visited spaces. Children and adults explore and learn together, often remaining in the mine for several trips down the slide.