Minett Tour

The land of the red soil

Luxembourgers call the region in the southwest of their country – where a red, ferrous ore tinges the soil in reddish-brown hues – ‘Minett’. In the mid-19th century, ore mining significantly contributed to the prosperity of the country. Today, the former industrial sites testify to the steel era and national history. Our concept to link them in a network has come together: The Minett Tour transforms the RedRockRegion into a new attraction for tourists and daytrippers.

The Minett Tour

The Minett Tour extends across approximately 35 km and connects five very different industrial heritage sites. According to our concept and feasibility study, networking these locations was the first important step in highlighting the existing portfolios: a joint website and a detailed brochure – with clearly defined opening hours and prices – now present the sites in a uniform corporate design. We have already developed numerous ideas for the individual locations, which can be addressed in the next step.

The sites

Each of the five sites, most of which are heritage protected monuments, has a charm of its own. Some of these museum sites have been repaired and operated by volunteers since the 1970s and will be developed and enlarged for a larger public in the coming years. With this in mind, it is imperative to place extra emphasis on their special features, to coordinate them and to consolidate them by focusing on specific themes. The available toolkit is diverse: interactive forms of communication are on the table, as are dramaturgical guided tours for visitors or central gathering points.

Park Minett Fond-de-Gras
A new visitor centre aims to establish the history of iron as a connecting element for all the sights in the park. Further exhibition areas in historic buildings can be attractively designed with interactive exhibits, e.g. related to railway services.
Belval - City of Science
A permanent position on the Belval site is to be created in the Massenoire Hall, which will encompass the transformation from an important steel manufacturer within the EU to today's use as a scientific and residential district.
Museum Cockerill Pit
A common entrance area is planned for the Ellergronn Nature Park and the Cockerill Museum, which will receive visitors and provide an initial overview. The various buildings of the museum as well as the courtyard are to be combined in an overall context.
National Museum of the Luxembourg Iron Mines
A modern media production will shed light on the history of iron ore mining and mine work on the mine tour. For example, visitors could project films onto the walls themselves using mine lamps.
Documentation Centre for Human Migration (CDMH) - The permanent exhibition is to be expanded to include further exhibits on the history of migration: In this way, visitors can meet people from the region with different backgrounds who talk about their roots. Audio installations communicate the historical atmosphere both inside and out.

Services

Project development

  • Concept and Feasibility study
  • Financial estimation
  • Visit forecast

Conception and scenography

  • Concept positioning and thematic definition
  • Development of dramaturgy and main idea
  • Development of interactive exhibits

Design and planning

  • Location analysis
  • Graphic design and guidance systems

Project information

Client: Office Régional du Tourisme Sud, Luxembourg

Execution period: since March 2015

Contact person

Nina Sperling

Consulting