Eskilstuna Stadsmuseum

Housed in the historical factory building of the former gun factory on an island in the river Esklistunaån, the ten or so permanent exhibitions at Eskilstuna Stadsmuseum show a wide range of different topics, but all of them are related to the city's history. They deal with the vanished castle, the different living conditions of various social classes, paired with historical events around the city, as well as historical workshops, the manufacture of weapons and steam engines.

The exhibitions at Esklistuna Stadsmuseum

The exhibition Slottet Som Försvann about the disappeared castle tells the story of the former royal castle in Eskilstuna, using models, old pictures, documents and some found objects. The castle was built around 1600 and was destroyed by a major fire as early as 1680.

The permanent exhibition Eskilstunas 1700 - tal invites you on an excursion into the Eskilstuna of the 18th century - a time of contrasts between the emerging wealthy bourgeoisie and the poverty of the craftsmen and farmers. The era is portrayed through the lives and stories of eleven different people from various social classes of the time. An exhibition that spans the arc from plague, regicide, misery, hardship and death to courage, love, wigs and beautiful clothes.

Metalworking and weapons manufacturing, which had been strong in Eskilstuna since the Middle Ages, really took off with industrialisation and made the city one of the most important industrial cities in Sweden. The steam engine, the driving force behind the first industrial revolution, is on display in the steam engine hall. The iron colossi were all in operation in local factories and most of them were also built in Eskilstuna at Munktells. Most of them are still functional and are also put into operation at irregular intervals. In addition, there is a steam locomotive, a locomobile and a steam-powered fire engine in the hall.

In the mechanical workshop you will see an early 20th century factory fully equipped with operational machinery and transmissions, where cutlery, trays, bowls and other metalware for domestic use were produced. Another exhibition is dedicated to the long tradition of armourers in the city and features an impressive collection of hand-forged blades and cold weapons as well as detailed documentation on the life and work of the armourers of the time.

A separate exhibition is dedicated to the firearms that were manufactured from 1813 to 2009 in the former rifle factory that now houses the museum. Over two million firearms left the arms factory during its almost 200-year history, four different types of which are presented in the exhibition as examples from their making to their use. At the same time, the exhibition also provides food for reflection on the issues of war and peace, arms exports, profit interests as well as defence and security policy.

The exhibition Lilla Stadsmuseet is aimed at museum visitors in the age group from three to ten and gives them the opportunity to discover the city's history in a playful way. The experimental exhibition Faktotum, on the other hand, is about playful experimentation and learning about various physical principles that we encounter in everyday life.

Visiting Esklistuna Stadsmuseum

The museum has a small café that offers biscuits, ice cream, coffee, tea and cocoa. In the museum's shop you can buy various gift items, handicrafts from the region, toys, handmade jewellery and literature on local history.

The museum is spread over two floors that are connected by a lift. There are no thresholds between the individual exhibition rooms and level differences are bridged with ramps. There are barrier-free toilets on both floors and separate parking spaces for people with disabilities are available in the inner courtyard. Assistance dogs are allowed, all other dogs and pets are not allowed to enter the museum.