Drill, baby, drill

A shiver ran up my spine as I read the sign: “Push this handle at your own risk.” I was tempted but wary. But heck, what could be risky? I was in the Park City Museum and I was meandering through the mining history displays. The museum went to great effort to create the right atmosphere to help tell the mining story.

The mine chambers are cool and dimly lit on purpose. Walls are rugged. You can get onto the miner’s elevator and feel it wobble under your feet. It squeaks ominously while you imagine it’s being lowered on rusty cables. You are exploring the dark, wet and dangerous mining profession.

There’s a huge drill on a tripod and it’s ready for use. It’s a drill just like the miners used, and it’s poised to drill into the ragged wall. You can try to hang on to the unwieldy artifact as it jolts and vibrates in simulated drilling.

Then I returned to the blasting equipment with the “push at your own risk” sign. I studied it. Dusty wires ran from it into the rock walls. I was tempted to push the blasting handle down, but I held off.

“This is a museum. Nothing can happen,” I told myself. I grasped the handle and pushed it down hard. Nothing happened. “See,” I told myself. “It’s just a display.”

But a nano-second later the room shook with the sounds of rocks crashing down all around me. I shrieked and jumped.

When you take the kids, don’t tell them what to expect. Let them push the handle and blast.

The museum tells the area’s story from silver to snow, and most exhibits are interactive. You can lock yourself into the city’s original underground jail. Actually, it’s a dungeon. You can ride in style on a train car’s velvet seats and watch scenery go by. There’s a butcher shop, the history of the Egyptian Theater, and the tale of Utah’s fabulous snow.

It’s worth the trip. It’s located on Park City’s old Main Street. For more information: parkcityhistory.org or 435-649-7457.