Keswick has a long history of mining, dating back to 1564 when German mining experts arrived to look for copper and lead. When pencil making arrived, graphite was sought out, and with the arrival of the railways a whole array of local minerals became valuable. Inside you can explore how the Lake District was formed in the Geology Room, find out what the area would have been like for the dinosaurs in the Fossil Room, and experience fluorescence in minerals in the Crystal Cave.