The Associação Centro Ciência Viva do Lousal (ACCVL), a private non-profit entity, was created in 2010 and has as partners: the “Município de Grândola”, the “Ciência Viva – Agência Nacional para a Cultura Científica e Tecnológica”, the “Faculdade de Ciências da Universidade de Lisboa”, the “SAPEC Parques Industriais” and the “Costaterra, Lda”. This Association is currently responsible for the management of three important cultural, historical and scientific centers in the former mining village of Lousal:
- The Lousal Ciência Viva Science Centre – inaugurated on June 30th 2010, is inserted in the “Rede Nacional da Ciência Viva”. It is a Science Centre that uses the theme of Georesources as a conceptual gateway to the exploration of scientific and technological areas such as Geology, Chemistry, Physics, Geophysics, Mathematics, Engineering, Biology, Ecology, Informatics, Computer Graphics and new Communication and Image Technologies. This Centre privileges activities, exhibitions and experimental spaces based on interactivity with the public.
- The Lousal Mining Museum – it is located in the building of the mine’s Power Plant. Between 1934 and 1992, it was responsible for supplying energy to the Lousal industrial mining complex and its population. Inaugurated on May 20th 2001, this museum houses objects and equipment that allows the visitor to take a look at the daily work throughout the 88 years of activity of this mine.
- The Waldemar Mining Gallery – inaugurated on July 27th 2015, allows an underground route in the southern sector of the Lousal mine, about 280 m long. Along the way it is possible to observe the old pails (four rooms with concrete coating, destined to the old storage of explosive material), the Waldemar and Luís wells, which allowed access to the lower floors of the mine, as well as discover all the geology and biology characteristic of the site.