Watts Museum facts for kids

The Royce J. and Caroline B. Watts Museum, often called the Watts Museum, is a special museum at West Virginia University in Morgantown, West Virginia. It's a university museum, which means it's part of the university campus.

The museum was first known as the COMER Museum. This name came from the College of Mineral and Energy Resources (COMER) at West Virginia University. In 2005, the museum was renamed. This change honored Royce J. and Caroline B. Watts, who gave a lot of support to the museum.

Discovering the Museum's Past

The museum's collections actually started before 1930. People began gathering items like flame safety lamps. These lamps were very important for miners to see safely underground.

For many years, these lamps were shown in display cases. They were located in White Hall, a building on the university's downtown campus. In 1986, plans were made for a new building. This new building, called the Mineral Resources Building, would have space for a museum. That's when the COMER Museum officially opened its doors.

In 2005, the museum received special gifts. These gifts came from the West Virginia Coal Mining Institute and the Watts family. Because of their support, the museum was renamed. Royce J. Watts was a professor at West Virginia University for over 50 years. He and his wife, Caroline, helped create and build the COMER Museum.

In 2012, the museum received a grant. This money helped them create an educational program. The program taught senior citizens about coal mining.

What the Museum Aims to Do

The museum has a clear goal, called a mission statement. It was written when the COMER Museum first opened in the 1980s.

The museum's main purpose is to save and share the history of the coal, oil, and gas industries in State of West Virginia. They do this by collecting, taking care of, studying, and showing objects. These objects help tell the story of how people worked and lived in these industries.

Exploring the Museum's Collections

The Watts Museum has thousands of items! These objects tell stories from different times in the coal and oil industries. One of the most amazing parts of the collection is the flame safety lamps. The museum has over 100 different types and styles. It's one of the biggest collections of these lamps in the United States.

The museum also has many other interesting things, such as:

• Mine rescue equipment, used to help miners in emergencies.
• Canary cages, which were used to detect dangerous gases.
• Rare minerals from West Virginia and around the world.
• Tools and equipment used for mining and drilling.
• Small, working models of mining machines.
• Old photographs that show what life was like.
• Early tools and items from the coal, oil, and gas industries.
• Personal items that belonged to coal miners. These include their clothes, lunch buckets, and special carbide lights.
• Samples of petroleum at different stages of being processed.

Most of the items in the Watts Museum were given as gifts. They came from mining and petroleum companies. Many also came from people who used to study at the university's college.

Past Exhibitions to See

The museum often creates special exhibitions. Here are some of the interesting ones they've had:

Light, Lubricant, Liniment: Early Oil in West Virginia (1860–1900)

This exhibit ran from May to October 2010. It showed how West Virginia's oil fields grew after the first successful oil well was drilled in 1859. The exhibit focused on the three main ways oil was used back then: for lighting lamps, for making machines run smoothly (lubricant), and even as medicine (liniment). You could see old photos, documents, model oil derricks, and early drilling tools. There were also kerosene lamps and samples of oil products.

Helmet Men: Mine Rescuers of Appalachia’s Coalfields

From January to August 2011, this exhibit honored mine rescue teams. These brave people help miners during emergencies. The exhibit showed the equipment they used. It also had historical photos and videos of mine rescuers in action.

Defying the Darkness: The Struggle for Safe Mine Lighting

This exhibit was open from September 2011 to July 2012. It explored the history of how mines were lit. It looked at how mining companies, miners, and inventors worked to make lighting safer. Displays included early oil lamps, enclosed-flame lamps, and battery-powered cap lamps. Of course, the flame safety lamp was also a big part of this exhibit.

The Story of Engineering: West Virginia University (1887–2012)

From August 2012 to July 2013, this exhibit celebrated 125 years of engineering at West Virginia University. It showed how students learned and what kind of research was done. It also featured items like an old computer storage device from 1958.

Outside the Mine: Daily Life in a Coal Camp

This exhibit ran from September 2013 to July 2014. It explored what life was like for families in coal communities. It showed how people lived, worked, and spent their free time. The exhibit included everyday items like a hand clothes wringer. It also had historical photos that showed daily life.