Vandteknisk Museum
Technology museum in the historic machine hall of the waterworks at Sønderbro in Aalborg with a steam engine and pumps from 1893.
About the museum
In 1854 Aalborg became the second Danish city after Odense to get a municipal waterworks; the impetus was a severe cholera epidemic the year before. The first pipes were still made of hollowed-out tree trunks, and in 1857 the first water taps in residential buildings were recorded.
In 1907 the architect Hother Paludan built a new machine hall around the existing installations at Sønderbro. The brick building with its striking tower has an elaborate interior, including a marble floor and green glazed tiles on the walls. On June 3, 1992, the hall opened as the Vandteknisk Museum; it was founded by Aalborg Kommune and today belongs to the utility company Aalborg Forsyning.
The machines still stand in their original place. They include a steam engine by De Smithske from 1893, the only one of its kind in Denmark still to be seen in its original surroundings, as well as an early diesel engine by Burmeister & Wain. Steam boilers, oil engines, electric pumps, measuring instruments, switchboards and old wooden pipes show how the city's water supply developed over about 150 years. The small museum mainly receives groups that have registered, such as school classes, associations and companies.
Highlights
- Steam engine by De Smithske from 1893 at its original location
- Diesel engine by Burmeister & Wain
- Machine hall by Hother Paludan from 1907 with tower
- Wooden pipes of the first water mains
- Founded
- 1992
- Operated by
- Aalborg Forsyning
Admission & discounts
Admission is free.
Admission and 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
The entrance is at the back of the machine hall at Sønderbro.
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 |
|---|---|
| Good to know | Visits for schools, training institutions, associations, companies and other interested groups after registration with a preferred date and number of participants. |
