Its focus is the history of the coal industry in Eastern Kentucky, featuring specific exhibits on the company towns of Benham and neighboring Lynch.

[3] Built in the 1920s by International Harvester, the museum features four stories of exhibits on the mining history and the coal miner's life.

In April 2017 the Kentucky Coal Museum added 80 solar panels which cut $8,000 off its annual electricity bill.

[4] The museum provides education on the life of coal miners and the pressures they faced while working in dangerous underground mines.

[5] In early January, recent issues have caught the attention of residents of Benham and Lynch located in Harlan County about surface mining close to these historical towns.