Oljeön
The world's oldest preserved oil refinery, on an island in Åmänningen by Ängelsberg, visited on a guided tour with a ferry in summer.
Have only individual sections read aloud
About the museum
Engelsbergs oljefabrik (the Engelsberg oil factory) was built in 1875 by Pehr August Ålund on Barrön, today called Oljeön (Oil Island), in the lake Åmänningen outside Ängelsberg. The site was chosen because the risk of fire and explosion was high. The crude oil was imported from Pennsylvania and brought from Stockholm via the Strömsholm Canal, and the factory supplied Swedish households and industries with paraffin (fotogen) and lubricants.
Refining ceased in 1902, but the company continued to sell lamp oil, weapon grease and machine lubricant until 1927. When the protective tariffs were abolished, the factory could no longer compete with foreign manufacturers. On the island worked, among others, joiners, machinists, paraffin washers and factory workers.
Eight buildings remain, among them the factory itself, the boiling house (kokhuset), the oil cellar and a workers' dwelling where eight families lived in the 1890s. The factory interior is so well preserved that it could in principle be restarted after repairs. Oljeön is part of Ekomuseum Bergslagen and was named Årets industriminne (Industrial Heritage of the Year) in 1999.
Highlights
- The world's oldest preserved oil refinery, from 1875
- The ferry trip to the island with the Petrolia
- Intact factory interior with refining hall and steam boiler room
- The workers' dwelling with preserved everyday surroundings
- Audio trail via QR codes and an audio guide in English and German
Permanent exhibition
- Engelsbergs oljefabrik – Guided tour of the preserved factory interior with the refining hall and steam boiler room, and of the workers' dwelling on the island.
- Operated by
- Visit Fagersta (Fagersta kommun); fabriken ägs av Preem
Admission & discounts
| Adults | SEK 100 |
|---|---|
| Children & teens | freefree up to age 14 · Children under 15 go free in the company of an adult, up to three children per adult; children must still be booked. |
| Groups | SEK 80 per personGroups: SEK 80 per person, at least SEK 1,600 (for 20 people or fewer); school classes SEK 55 per pupil, at least SEK 1,200. Maximum 30 people on the ferry. |
The price of SEK 100 applies to the regular tour and includes the ferry trip. With the Kulturarvskortet, a 50% discount applies when paying on site. Tickets are booked online or bought on site with Swish, as available; 25 places per tour.
Accessibility
- Partially wheelchair accessible
- Elevator: no information
- Accessible restroom: no information
- Accessible parking: no information
- Service dogs welcome: no information
- Tactile models & exhibits: no information
- Sign language tours: no information
- Easy-to-read materials: no information
- Audio description: no information
There is an accessible walkway and a ramp down to the Petrolia ferry, and benches on the ferry and on the island. The factory's entrances have removable thresholds, but the floors are uneven. The workers' dwelling is reached by stairs and has no accessible entrance, and the last stretch to it is sloping; guides show pictures of the interior on request. Oljeön is listed in the Tillgänglighetsdatabasen (accessibility database).
Kids & families
Great for kids & families
| Kids’ admission | free up to age 14 |
|---|
Children under 15 go free in the company of an adult, and the ferry trip over to the island is part of the experience.
Getting there & parking
By public transit
Ängelsberg
Train from Västerås or Ludvika to Ängelsberg, roughly once an hour; the ferry landing is next to the station building. From Stockholm about 2–3 hours, with a change in Västerås.
By car
Parking available · 100 m to the entrance
Oljeön's car park is next to the Ängelsberg station building; the last stretch to the entrance is about 100 metres.
From Västerås it is about 45 minutes by car on national road 66, exit towards Virsbo and then signs towards Ängelsberg.
Get directionsAmenities & dining
Restaurant/café and antique shop about 400 metres north of the ferry landing.
Events & venue rental
The tours run in summer, and times for 2027 have not yet been published.
Plan your visit
| Guided tours | yes · approx. 1.5 hrs |
|---|---|
| Audio guide | yes (EN, DE) |
| School programs | yes |
| Good to know | Regular tours are guided in Swedish. An audio guide in English and German is available during the tours, and QR codes on the island give audio tracks on your mobile. The tour takes 1 hour and 30 minutes including the ferry trip; the guide meets you at the ferry landing opposite Ängelsberg railway station, preferably about 10 minutes before departure. Tours in other languages, as well as group, school and private tours, are booked via Visit Fagersta. |
