ÅSSA Industri- och bilmuseum
Non-profit working-life museum in Åtvidaberg, with ÅSSA's original workshop, the Åtvidaberg car from 1911, Facit machines and a school museum.
Have only individual sections read aloud
About the museum
ÅSSA Industri- och bilmuseum in Åtvidaberg was formed in 1987, when production at ÅSSA ceased and the operation moved away from the site. The aim was to save an era of industrial history, and the initiative came from the Åtvid local heritage society and former ÅSSA workers. Metall 83 and the Workers' Educational Association in Linköping also helped to establish the museum. When Grängesbergs Industrier bought the manufacture of track switches in 1985, the old machines in the machine hall were donated to the local heritage society, and they were handed over to the museum when it started. The museum is run by volunteers.
The company behind the name began in 1907 as Åtvidabergs Vagnfabrik (Åtvidaberg Carriage Factory), making horse-drawn carriages. In 1911 series production of the Åtvidaberg car began, and later came railway signalling equipment, track switches, lubrication systems and sheet-metal buildings. In the 1960s and 1970s ÅSSA was at its largest, with up to 230 employees.
The museum has two sections. Half of the workshop is ÅSSA's original workshop, where work continued until the closure in 1987, and it looks as if the workers have just stepped out for a break. The other half has been filled with machines moved there later, including from Facit. The exhibition halls show, among other things, cars, lorries, the Mosshult tractor, Åtvidaberg inventions, signalling equipment, track switches, writing and calculating machines, and the Åtvidaberg school museum. Audio guiding is also available in 60 languages.
Highlights
- ÅSSA's original workshop from the time before its closure in 1987
- The Åtvidaberg car from 1911
- Facit typewriters and calculating machines to try out
- School museum with a folkskola (elementary school) and a samrealskola (intermediate school)
- Retro games and the Mosshult tractor
Permanent exhibitions
- Verkstaden – ÅSSA's original workshop, with the workplaces untouched since the closure in 1987, supplemented by machines from Facit and others.
- Bilar och motorcyklar – The Åtvidaberg car from 1911, lorries and the Mosshult tractor, as well as motorcycles and mopeds.
- Åtvidabergs skolmuseum – School museum showing the folkskola and samrealskola, with the chance to write on a slate.
- Founded
- 1987
Admission & discounts
| Adults | SEK 100 |
|---|---|
| Children & teens | freefree up to age 12 · Children under 13 enter free of charge. |
The Blå Tåget (Blue Train) runs on Saturdays in summer (ride SEK 50 from age 15; SEK 100 including admission to the museum) and can be booked for trips at other times.
Accessibility
The museum hasn’t published any information on this.
Kids & families
| Kids’ admission | free up to age 12 |
|---|
- Hands-on stations
Visitors can try writing on a mechanical and an electric typewriter, do sums on a mechanical calculator, write on a slate and play retro games.
Getting there & parking
The museum hasn’t published any information on this.
Amenities & dining
The museum hasn’t published any information on this.
Events & venue rental
The museum hasn’t published any information on this.
Plan your visit
| Guided tours | yes |
|---|---|
| Audio guide | yes |
| Good to know | Audio guiding is available in 60 languages. The museum shows and explains the industrial history of Åtvidaberg. Visits at times other than opening hours can be arranged after contact. |
