Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Visiting the Museum:
When you buy your ticket, ask the attendant if she's willing to
show you around the museum; unless they're busy with groups, she can take you through
thecollectionandreallybringthe(otherwisepoorlyexplained)exhibitstolife.Ifshe'sbusy,
the following describes some things to look for on your own.
Go up to the first floor and enter the room with the big town model of Kropa as it was in
the 19th century—which makes it clear just how ingeniously the town channeled its water
supply to use its raw power for its foundries. The next room shows big chunks of iron ore,
and the buckets used to gather and carry it. (Many workers here farmed during the summer
and were miners in the winter.) Although the big model of a blast furnace seems like fairly
sophisticatedand“modern”industrialengineering,Kropausedfacilitieslikethisalltheway
back in the mid-15th century. Water was used to turn a wheel to pump bellows onto a wood
fire, superheating it to melt down the raw iron ore to create impure “pig iron.” The second,
smaller chimney was a second furnace used for refining the pig iron into useable iron. Look
at the blacksmiths' tools and pass through the room with several huge bellows, then enter
the room with decorative iron gratings and other decorations, dating from Kropa's later era
of blacksmithing, between the two World Wars. Near the base of the stairs is a big music
box with a piano, drums, and cymbals (Metka can start it for you).
