The Goldmine Experience sits at the northern end of Thames, near the old Moanataiari workings. It is the most hands-on of the town's gold-rush stops, with a short underground tour, old machinery, a stamper battery, mining relics, photographs, and gold panning.
It is best visited with the School of Mines rather than instead of it. The School of Mines explains the science and training behind the field; this place gives you the damp tunnel, the noise of machinery, and the practical feel of ore being crushed for a living.