X09. Museum for Lignitic Energy | “MELI”, AEBAL Ptolemais

Museum of National Energy and Lignite (AEBAL)

The Museum of National Energy and Lignite is housed within the former industrial facilities of AEBAL in Ptolemaida and is conceived as a contemporary industrial heritage museum dedicated to energy, labour, and the profound transformations brought about by electrification in Greece. The museum treats the building itself as a primary exhibit, using architecture, scenography, and digital media to frame a narrative that connects local history with national and global energy developments.

The museum experience is designed as an active journey, encouraging visitors to engage critically with the past while reflecting on present and future energy challenges.

The Exhibition

The permanent exhibition unfolds through a sequence of thematic sections that follow the cycle of energy: extraction, production, consumption, and transition. It explores the geology of lignite, the technologies of mining and power generation, the role of industry in shaping landscapes and communities, and the social, environmental, and cultural consequences of large-scale electrification.

Rather than relying solely on objects, the exhibition employs immersive environments, digital installations, interactive exhibits, soundscapes, and narrative characters, allowing multiple voices—workers, engineers, residents, and experts—to coexist. Personal testimonies, archival material, and symbolic scenographic elements transform technical information into an experiential and human-centred story.

The exhibition concludes by shifting focus to the post-lignite era, inviting visitors to reflect on sustainability, alternative energy sources, and collective responsibility for the future.