Orsa slipstensmuseum
Working-life museum in the Orsa grindstone quarries with a museum building, quarry hut, hack hut, old open-cast pits and a 3.5 km hiking trail.
Have only individual sections read aloud
About the museum
The Orsa grindstone quarries in Mässbacken near Kallmora village were for hundreds of years an important source of income for the people of Orsa. Grindstones were made from the hard sandstone, and quarrying took place mainly in the autumn, after the harvest had been brought in. After an announcement in church the quarrymen gathered and went up to Slipstensberget (Grindstone Mountain), where 20–25 people lived in a quarry hut during the three to five weeks that the quarrying lasted.
The museum covers the whole grindstone quarry area of about two square kilometres, with a museum building, quarry hut, hack hut, a large number of old open-cast pits and remains of the old production. In the museum building old tools, photographs with texts, reconstructed settings from the production and from life in the quarry hut, and worked grindstones and whetstones are shown. There is also a small geological exhibition and an exhibition of ornamental objects made of Orsa sandstone.
The museum is run by Orsa Slipstensförening (Orsa Grindstone Association), whose museum guides work in Swedish and English. Most of the museum’s texts are translated into English, German and Dutch. The Slipstensleden (Grindstone Trail), an approximately 3.5 km hiking trail with information signs, runs through the area.
Highlights
- The grindstone quarry area of about two square kilometres
- Quarry hut and hack hut
- Old open-cast pits along the Slipstensleden
- Reconstructed settings of production and quarry life
- Small geological exhibition
Permanent exhibition
- Slipstensmuseet – Old tools, photographs, reconstructed settings from the production and the quarry hut, grindstones, whetstones and a small geological exhibition.
- Operated by
- Orsa Slipstensförening
Admission & discounts
The museum hasn’t published any information on this.
Accessibility
The museum hasn’t published any information on this.
Kids & families
The museum hasn’t published any information on this.
Getting there & parking
The museum hasn’t published any information on this.
Amenities & dining
- Restaurant
Restaurang Gruvan (The Quarry) is in the same building and serves lunch and fika.
Events & venue rental
The museum hasn’t published any information on this.
Plan your visit
| Guided tours | yes |
|---|---|
| Good to know | Guided tours of the museum for groups are booked by telephone or e-mail. The museum guides work in Swedish and English, and brochures and texts are available in several languages. In summer, history walks are also held in the area. |
