Falbygdens museum

About the museum

Falbygdens museum in Falköping manages and conveys the cultural heritage of Falbygden, the rolling plain at the heart of Västergötland, with the first farmers of the Stone Age and its many monuments. The museum was founded on the initiative of Falbygdens hembygds- och fornminnesförening (the Falbygden Local History and Ancient Monuments Society), which was formed in 1921 and quickly gathered large quantities of objects from the Stone Age to the early 20th century.

Before the new museum was inaugurated in 1961, the collections were spread across different premises, and exhibitions were first held in the loft of the old fire station and later in the cellar of the parish hall. Fundraising for a museum building began in 1931, and the building was finally erected in the Plantis park, where construction started in 1959. The association was the main organiser at first, but today the museum is entirely municipal and falls under the Culture and Leisure Committee of Falköping Municipality.

The basic exhibition Forntid på Falbygden (Prehistory of Falbygden) was inaugurated in 1994, and the second part, … och tusen år till (… and a Thousand Years More), was completed in 2000. In the basement there is Barnens museum (the Children's Museum) and an old trading shop. The building also houses a document and photo archive, a reference library and a museum shop, and the museum offers guided tours also in the prehistoric landscape around Falköping.

Highlights

• Forntid på Falbygden … och tusen år till (Prehistory of Falbygden … and a Thousand Years More)
• Archaeological finds, slide shows and models of the district's history
• Bredgårdsmannen (the Bredgård Man), Sweden's oldest face
• Barnens museum with a trading shop and craft corner
• Guided tours at burial grounds and other ancient monuments

Permanent exhibitions

• Forntid på Falbygden … och tusen år till – Basic exhibitions with unique archaeological finds, slide shows, models and historical objects that tell the story of Falbygden from the Stone Age to modern times.
• Barnens museum – A play area one flight down, with a trading shop, crafts and painting, games, a historic wardrobe and a reading corner for children.

Founded

1961

Operated by

Falköpings kommun

Admission & discounts

Admission is free.

Free admission. Groups that come on their own during regular opening hours pay nothing; outside opening hours it costs SEK 700. School programmes are free for schools in Falköping Municipality; for other municipalities the charge is SEK 800 per visit.

Accessibility

• Partially wheelchair accessible
• Elevator
• Accessible restroom
• Accessible parking
• Service dogs welcome: no information
• Tactile models & exhibits: no information
• Sign language tours: no information
• Easy-to-read materials
• Audio description: no information

The entrance has a wheelchair ramp, and a lift and a large toilet are on the entrance level. Due to a review of fire safety, currently only the entrance level is accessible to visitors in wheelchairs. Most texts in the basic exhibition are also available in easy-to-read Swedish (Snabbspår) and in English. Parking for people with reduced mobility is to the right of the entrance and at the north gable. Detailed information is available in the Accessibility Database (Tillgänglighetsdatabasen).

Kids & families

Great for kids & families

• Family tours & workshops
• Hands-on stations
• Playground / play area

Barnens museum one flight down has play areas, a trading shop, crafts and painting, games, a historic wardrobe and a reading corner. Family days and holiday activities are arranged, including during the school holidays. Pushchairs can be left in the cloakroom.

Getting there & parking

The museum is located by the Plantis park at S:t Olofsgatan 23.

Amenities & dining

• Café
• Restaurant: not available
• Museum shop
• Coat check

Café corner with coffee, hot chocolate and cold drinks. Museum shop with local history books, jewellery, replicas, toys and souvenirs, with the same opening hours as the museum. Pushchairs can be left in the cloakroom.

Events & venue rental

The museum hasn’t published any information on this.

Plan your visit