DieselHouse
Knowledge and experience center on diesel technology in the H.C. Ørsted Værket power plant, with the once largest diesel engine in the world from 1932.
About the museum
DieselHouse opened in June 2006 in a former engine hall of the H.C. Ørsted Værket power plant in Copenhagen's South Harbor. The center was created as a joint project of the Københavns Museum and the engine manufacturer MAN B&W Diesel; the conversion of the hall was designed by Gottlieb Paludan Architects. The old structures of the industrial hall were preserved, and three exhibition levels were inserted.
At the center stands the B&W 2000 engine from 1932, also called the H.C. Ørsted engine. It is three stories high and for about 30 years was considered the largest diesel engine in the world. Until the 1970s it supplied electricity to København; in World War II it served the power plant's resistance group as a weapons hiding place. During the major blackout of 2003, it helped restore the power supply.
Beside it, the center shows B&W No. 1, the first diesel engine patented in Denmark, from 1904, as well as other engines such as the drive of the royal ship. The exhibition tells the story of Burmeister & Wain, which began in 1843 as a small smithy and grew into one of Denmark's largest employers, and ranges from steam engines through diesel technology to hydrogen and Power-to-X. Today the center belongs to the engine manufacturer Everllence, the successor to B&W.
Highlights
- B&W 2000 engine from 1932, for about 30 years the largest diesel engine in the world
- B&W No. 1, Denmark's first patented diesel engine
- Engine starts with a short introduction on Thursdays and on the 1st and 3rd Sunday
- Engine of the Danish royal ship
- Industrial hall in the H.C. Ørsted Værket power plant
Permanent exhibitions
- B&W 2000 – The three-story power plant engine from 1932 is demonstrated on the first and third Sunday of the month.
- Viden om – History of technology from the steam engine through industrial machines and diesel engines to electric drives, hydrogen, and Power-to-X.
- Founded
- 2006
- Operated by
- Everllence (früher MAN B&W Diesel)
- Visitors per year
- approx. 12,820 (2014)
Admission & discounts
Admission is free.
Admission and group tours are free.
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
By car
Free parking
Free parking for 4 hours; the vehicle must be registered on arrival.
The center is located on the grounds of the H.C. Ørsted Værket power plant in Copenhagen's South Harbor.
Get directionsAmenities & dining
The museum hasn’t published any information on this – please ask the museum directly.
Events & venue rental
The museum hasn’t published any information on this – please ask the museum directly.
Plan your visit
| Guided tours | yes |
|---|---|
| School programs | yes |
| Good to know | Groups of more than 7 people can book a free tour on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays, no earlier than two months before the desired date (by email). Schools and educational institutions can also arrange expert tours on engine development. Introductions before the engine starts are partly in Danish; an English explanation is available on request after the engine is shut off. |
