Rydals museum

About the museum

Rydal grew up as a community when a spinning mill was founded in 1853. It was the wealthy farmer and putting-out merchant (förläggare) Sven Erikson who took the initiative to build the factory, and the district had a long tradition of home industry. The community lies in the Viska valley in Mark Municipality, and the old mill street is still lined with a school, workers’ rows, the manager’s house and the factory.

The factory is no longer in operation, but the museum in the old factory building started in 1985 and is run by Mark Municipality. The museum has a machine hall with spinning machines from the 1940s and the permanent exhibition TEXTIL MARK, which with projections, animations, sound and light tells the story of Rydal and the textile district of Mark, from the Middle Ages and the conflict-ridden border area to the era of the spinning mill. The people’s stories stand at the centre.

In Rydal there is also a signposted historic walk of 750 metres, where two buildings can be opened with a key borrowed at the museum. The power station was built on its original site in 1916 and still produces electricity. In 1882 Rydal was the first in Sweden to use a water-driven dynamo for electric indoor lighting in a spinning mill.

Highlights

• The permanent exhibition TEXTIL MARK with multimedia
• Machine hall with spinning machines from the 1940s
• Historic walk of 750 metres through the mill community
• Power station from 1916, shown on summer tours
• Free admission for individual visitors
• Museum mascot NystANN for children

Permanent exhibitions

• TEXTIL MARK – historien om Rydal och textilbygden i Mark – Permanent exhibition with projections, animations, sound and light about Rydal’s spinning mill, the community that grew up around it and the history of the textile district.
• Maskinhallen – Original machine hall with spinning machines from the 1940s.

Founded

1985

Operated by

Marks kommun

Admission & discounts

Admission is free.

Free admission for individual visitors; a voluntary admission donation can be given. It is also possible to book a machine demonstration only. Booked tours are not held during the summer season, when other tours are offered.

Accessibility

• Wheelchair accessible
• Elevator
• 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

The museum’s premises are on the same floor, and a lift serves the other floors. Wheelchairs can be borrowed. During tours a portable induction loop can be used if the need is announced in advance. Audio-described tours can be booked. The historic walk is partly accessible to people with disabilities.

Kids & families

Great for kids & families

• Family tours & workshops

The museum is child-friendly, but not everything is suitable for play. The museum mascot NystANN shows the children around in several places. Children without an accompanying adult must be at least 12 years old.

Getting there & parking

Rydal lies 6 km north of Kinna in Mark Municipality and 25 km south of Borås. Visiting address: Boråsvägen 237, Gamla fabriken. From Kinna follow the signs to Rydal from road 41; from Borås drive on road 41 towards Varberg and follow the signs via Viskafors; from Gothenburg drive towards Borås on road 40, turn off onto road 156 towards Kinna and Skene, and continue on road 41 to Kinna.

Amenities & dining

• Museum shop

The craft shop Akleja is in the museum. Rydals pelarsal (pillar hall) has over twenty shops.

Events & venue rental

The museum hasn’t published any information on this.

Plan your visit