Bøtø Nor Pumpestation

About the museum

Bøtø Nor was a shallow lagoon on the southeast coast of Falster. Plans to drain it existed as early as the 18th and early 19th centuries; they were carried out from 1860 under the estate owner and agricultural politician Edward Tesdorpf. A long dike along the coast and a network of canals turned the area into farmland. In 1870–71 the pumping station was built near Marrebæk, where a steam engine drove a wooden Archimedes screw that lifted water out of the diked land.

The storm surge of November 13, 1872 flooded large parts of southern Falster and damaged the dike, but the station itself survived. In 1901 the facility was modernized and received a steam engine by the manufacturer Atlas as well as a steel screw; electric pumps and a diesel engine were added later. In December 1967 a new pumping station went into operation, and the old facility was shut down. The building has been a protected monument since 1970.

Since 1993 the old pumping station has been a museum run by a volunteer friends' association. It tells how southern Falster was won through diking and drainage, and it still demonstrates the old Atlas steam engine in operation today. Other topics include the 1872 storm surge and the Gedesby ship, a wreck from the early 14th century that was discovered in 1988 when the canal was cleared.

Highlights

• Working Atlas steam engine from 1901, demonstrated in operation
• Archimedes water screw for drainage
• History of the draining of Bøtø Nor and the 1872 storm surge
• Discovery site of the medieval Gedesby ship
• Fishing in the Marrebæk Canal with a fishing permit from the museum

Permanent exhibitions

• Dampmaskinen – The 1901 Atlas steam engine and the Archimedes screw show how the diked land was drained over the decades; on opening days the engine is running.
• Stormfloden 1872 – Exhibition about the great storm surge of November 1872, which flooded southern Falster, and about later floods in the region.

Founded

1993

Operated by

Støtteforeningen Bøtø Nor gl. Pumpestation (ehrenamtlich)

Admission & discounts

Guided tour DKK 300 plus admission. Proceeds from fishing permits benefit the museum.

Accessibility

The museum hasn’t published any information on this – please ask the museum directly.

Kids & families

The museum hasn’t published any information on this – please ask the museum directly.

Getting there & parking

The museum is located near Marrebæk in southern Falster (GPS: Møllesøvej 2, 4873 Væggerløse).

Amenities & dining

Tables, benches, and an outdoor toilet. Fishing in the Marrebæk Canal from sunrise to sunset between the new pumping station and the railway bridge with a fishing permit from the museum.

Events & venue rental

The museum hasn’t published any information on this – please ask the museum directly.

Plan your visit