Krudtværksmuseet

About the museum

Frederiksværk is considered Denmark's first industrial town. In 1756, King Frederik V and Major General Johan Frederik Classen signed a contract with his partner Just Fabritius for a gunpowder works; production began in 1758, after a side arm of the canal between Arresø and Roskilde Fjord had been dug. For more than 200 years, until the 1970s, the works produced black powder for the army, the navy, and civilian uses.

For a long time, water wheels drove the machines, later also electric motors. A number of production buildings along the canal have survived, including the charcoal kiln and the sulfur and saltpeter magazine from the 1760s. Most of the machines on display today date from between the mid-19th and the early 20th century. In 2007, Frederiksværk was declared one of Denmark's 25 national industrial monuments.

Today the buildings form the Krudtværksmuseet (KRUDT for short) of the Industrimuseet Frederiks Værk. Visitors can follow how saltpeter, sulfur, and charcoal were turned into explosive black powder, and can set the old machines in motion. The landscape, with protective embankments and tall trees meant to catch debris during explosions, tells of the danger in which people worked here. The ticket is also valid for the Arsenalet at Torvet, with its exhibition on the town's industrial history.

Highlights

• Original gunpowder mills with machines you can set in motion
• Charcoal kiln and sulfur and saltpeter magazine from the 1760s
• Protective embankments and rows of trees as traces of the explosion hazard
• Audio tour "Her må du ikke bande!" as an apprentice powder master
• Combined ticket with the Arsenalet on the industrial history of Frederiksværk

Permanent exhibitions

• Krudtværksmuseet – In the production buildings, you can follow how saltpeter, sulfur, and charcoal became black powder; many of the old machines still run.
• Industrihistorie i Arsenalet – The exhibition in the Arsenalet shows products from more than 250 years of industrial history in Frederiksværk; a hiking route into Kongernes Nordsjælland National Park also begins here.

Operated by

Industrimuseet Frederiks Værk

Admission & discounts

One ticket is valid for KRUDT and the Arsenalet. Tickets only at the entrance.

Accessibility

• Partially wheelchair accessible
• Elevator: no information
• Accessible restroom: not available
• Accessible parking: no information
• Service dogs welcome
• Tactile models & exhibits: no information
• Sign language tours: no information
• Easy-to-read materials: no information
• Audio description: no information

The grounds and some buildings are accessible to wheelchair users and people with limited mobility; some buildings have individual steps. Watch out for uneven paving slabs and fallen branches on the paths. No accessible restroom on the grounds (but there is one in the Arsenalet). Guide dogs and assistance dogs allowed; other animals not permitted in the buildings.

Kids & families

Great for kids & families

• Hands-on stations

The museum sees itself as an experience for the whole family: children turn cannons, start machines at the push of a button, and feel the powder at different stages of production. The story is told so that all age groups can understand it.

Getting there & parking

Easy to reach on foot or by bike. GPS address: Krudtværksalléen 1, 3300 Frederiksværk.

Amenities & dining

• Museum shop

Museum shop with souvenirs, ice cream, and sweets in the Arsenalet. Bringing your own food is allowed.

Events & venue rental

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

Plan your visit