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Things to do in Eskilstuna: Rademachersmedjorna and Munktell

Things to do in Eskilstuna: the historic Rademacher forges and Munktellmuseet's machines and engines.

Eskilstuna’s industrial history is easiest to understand when you put the small forges and the big machines side by side. Start at Rademachersmedjorna, then make time for Munktellmuseet and the museums around Munktellstaden. Add a riverside walk or a swim and you have a varied day without making every stop about machinery. Here are six places worth building a visit around.

1. Rademachersmedjorna

Start with the small forge buildings rather than the big factories. This open-air museum preserves a 17th-century setting, with craftspeople, shops and an outdoor exhibition about people who lived and worked here. It gives you the human side of Eskilstuna’s industrial story.

Good to know

  • The grounds are free to enter and accessible around the clock; individual workshops and shops have their own hours.
  • The museum forge and children’s play forge are summer attractions, not something to count on year-round.
  • You can book a hands-on blacksmithing session with Jutemarks Smide; arrange it before your visit.

2. Munktellmuseet

Move from hand tools to the machines that helped change Swedish industry. In Munktellstaden, this museum brings together tractors, construction machinery and a replica of Förstlingen, Sweden’s first steam locomotive. Visitors are welcome to climb up and sit in the old vehicles, so this is more than a look-but-don’t-touch collection.

Good to know

  • Admission is paid, with free entry for the youngest children; check current prices on munktellmuseet.com.
  • The published regular pattern is Monday to Saturday, closed Sunday. Check holiday exceptions before travelling.
  • A free Swedish and English audio guide works through QR codes on your phone.
  • The museum café follows the museum’s opening hours, making it a useful fika stop.

3. Eskilstuna stadsmuseum

This is the place to put the forges and factories into the wider story of the city. The steam-engine hall and old mechanical workshop show how industry worked, while Faktotum lets you experiment with science yourself. Younger visitors can step into make-believe local history at Lilla Stadsmuseet.

Good to know

  • Check the museum’s current exhibition and opening information through Visit Eskilstuna before you go.
  • Lilla Stadsmuseet is designed for children and adults to explore together.
  • There is a small café and a shop, so you can take a break without leaving the museum.

4. Eskilstuna konstmuseum

For a change of pace, look at art inside a former gear workshop in Munktellstaden. The collections range from the 1600s to today, with a particular focus on Swedish 20th-century painting. Temporary exhibitions add contemporary art and craft to the mix.

Good to know

  • Find it at Portgatan 2, in the old Bolinder Munktell workshop.
  • Check the current exhibitions and opening hours through the museum link on Visit Eskilstuna.
  • Lunch restaurant P-2 is next to the museum; check its own serving hours if you want to eat here.

5. Gamla staden and Köpmangatan

Take a break from museum rooms along the river in Gamla staden. Köpmangatan has cobbles, 18th-century buildings and narrow passages with views down to the water. Former workshops and tanneries have given way to small shops, cafés and restaurants.

Good to know

  • Use Köpmangatan as the main route, then look down the little passages towards the river.
  • Wear comfortable shoes for the cobblestones.
  • Treat this as a walk rather than a fixed attraction: individual cafés and shops keep their own hours.

6. Munktellbadet

If you would rather finish with a swim, Munktellbadet gives you a different kind of afternoon. There is a 50-metre swimming pool, a family area with a slide and current, and River Relax for a quieter visit. It works as an alternative to another museum, especially with children.

Good to know

  • Check current admission and opening times through the operator link on Visit Eskilstuna; choose the pool area you actually want to use.
  • River Relax has an age restriction; check the current rules before planning a family visit.
  • Food and drink are available at the entrance and in the family swimming area.

Quick tips

  • A simple first day: Rademachersmedjorna, Munktellmuseet and one other museum, with a fika break between them.
  • If Munktellmuseet is your main reason for coming, check its opening day before organising the rest of the trip.
  • Want company? Check upcoming events in Eskilstuna on Socroo below and find someone to go with.

Upcoming events

Things to do in Eskilstuna in winter Rademachersmedjorna: visitor information Munktellmuseet: plan your visit Eskilstuna stadsmuseum Eskilstuna konstmuseum Gamla staden Munktellbadet