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UGMM exists to discover and tell the stories of this unique place. The underground story is both human and geological. The human story revolves around the miners and is connected to all aspects of their lives. The geological story began in an era when the core of the earth "bled" mineral wealth into the fault zones of California. Both aspects of the story are golden.

• To preserve and share the stories & culture of California's underground gold miners.
• To preserve and share the history of the towns and mines of the Alleghany Mining District.
• To explain the unique geology of the Alleghany Mining District

• By collecting artifacts, documents, photos and stories related to the Alleghany Mining District.
• By maintaining a climate controlled storage room with fireproof filing cabinets for our archives.
• By operating a museum with educational exhibits.
• Through public outreach (dissemination) via this website, presentations and printed media.

Obtaining the funds to keep the museum operating is our biggest challenge. Currently our operation is almost entirely volunteer with no paid full-time staff. Our remote location, the very thing that makes this place so unique contributes significantly to that challenge. For several years we tried to keep regular weekend hours from Memorial Day through Labor Day. Because there were more days without visitors than with, we went to "by appointment only" hours.

This website is an answer to the challenge of our remote location. By creating a "virtual museum" in addition to our on-the-ground museum we can provide access to our archives and gift shop.

Hopefully we will expand our support base in the process.