Finnfors kraftverksmuseum

About the museum

Finnfors was the first hydroelectric power station on the Skellefteälven river. Construction began in 1906 and the station was ready about two years later. The head of water is 19 metres, and at most around 200 men worked on the installation, many of them navvies (rallare). On 1 July 1908 the power was switched on, which allowed the sulphite pulp mill at Örviken to run around the clock for the first time.

The station is built in Jugendstil (art nouveau) and was designed by the architect Axel Rudolf Bergman. Originally it had four generators, and a fifth came in 1912. For a short time it was the largest power station north of the Dalälven river. In 1956 a new station was opened on the other side of the river, and the old one was left largely untouched, which makes it one of Sweden's best-preserved power stations from that era. The last generating unit in the old station was renovated and brought back into operation in 2023.

Today the old station is a listed building (byggnadsminne) and a museum run by Skellefteå Kraft. Visitors can walk around on their own or join a guided tour, see the penstock room, the workshop and the marble control panel, and take in a photo exhibition about the people who lived and worked at the falls.

Highlights

• Jugendstil power station from 1908 with preserved generators and turbines
• Hand-riveted penstock 50 metres long
• Workshop, marble control panel and speaking tube to the operator
• Photo exhibition about life at the power station from the 1910s to the 1960s
• The machinist's house, the oldest house at Finnforsfallet
• Teknikboa for children and a robbers' hideout about the Finnfors robbers

Permanent exhibitions

• Den gamla kraftstationen – Walk-through of the penstock room, workshop and generator hall, with generators, instruments and turbines from the early 1900s.
• Fotoutställning om livet vid fallet – Pictures of the people who lived and worked at the power station from 1910 to the 1960s.

Operated by

Skellefteå Kraft

Admission & discounts

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Accessibility

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Kids & families

Great for kids & families

• Family tours & workshops
• Hands-on stations

In Teknikboa children and adults can experiment. On the gable of Teknikboa there is a robbers' hideout where you can listen to the story of the Finnfors robbers.

Getting there & parking

The power station is in the village of Finnforsfallet by the Skellefteälven river, about three mil west of Skellefteå.

Amenities & dining

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Events & venue rental

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Plan your visit