An artificial cave has various features that resemble speleothems (e.g., stalactites, stalagmites, etc.) found in real subterranean caves. Human users may pass through the artificial cave, with each user wearing a wearable transceiver that broadcasts a signal code unique to that user. Fixed transceivers throughout the cave can detect and identify any user who is sufficiently close to that fixed transceiver. Other components of the system collect user identification information from the fixed transceivers for any of several possible purposes (e.g., identifying which user was probably responsible for inappropriate interaction with a speleothem that is adjacent to a given fixed transceiver, where all of the various user of the cave are currently located in the cave, etc.). A count of users currently in the artificial cave passageway may be maintained and used for a number of purposes. Similarly, human detectors may be employed near the system and/or in the artificial cave passage for any of several different purposes.