Särestads landsbygdsmuseum

About the museum

The mechanisation of farming from the end of the 1950s made many tools and machines obsolete, and many of them risked standing outside and decaying. This was the background to the formation of the museum association in Särestad in spring 1967. The association started with four farmers and wants to collect, care for and preserve machines and tools that show the development of households and farming. Today it has just over 200 members, and about 40 of them work voluntarily to keep the museum running.

The collection was first shown at the home of one of the members in Vesteby, but when it became too large the association decided to build exhibition halls. The first building was completed in 1990, the second was built from 1994 and the third in 1998. Since then a smithy, a poor cottage that is today a bakehouse, and a transformer house have been added, and the museum now has close to 3,000 m² of exhibition space.

The museum shows tools, implements, furniture, machines and tractors, mainly from the period before 1960, including self-binders, sleighs, combine harvesters, chainsaws, carriages and skis. New exhibitions with films and sound highlight food and household management in the first part of the 20th century. Most distinctive is the Fårekojan (sheep shelter) from around 1780, which protected sheep from wolves and which is described as the only one of its kind in Sweden. The collections also include Stone Age objects found in the area.

Highlights

• Fårekojan from around 1780, the only one of its kind in Sweden
• One of Sweden’s largest collections of farm machinery and tools, on about 3,000 m²
• Living room from the 1940s and exhibitions on food and household management
• Old stone mill where visitors can try grinding flour
• Smithy and bakehouse
• Café with home-baked bread

Permanent exhibitions

• Fårekojan – Small log building from around 1780 that protected sheep from wolves, the only known one of its kind in Sweden.
• Mat och hushållning under första delen av 1900-talet – Furnished rooms and exhibitions with films, sound recordings and pictures showing how food was prepared and the household run, including a living room from the 1940s.
• Jordbruksmaskiner och redskap – Self-binders, sleighs, combine harvesters, chainsaws, carriages, skis and tractors on about 3,000 m².

Founded

1967

Operated by

Särestad Landsbygdsmuseum (ideell förening)

Admission & discounts

Admission SEK 60. Free admission for members and children under 18. Payment in cash or by Swish. The bakehouse can be rented for SEK 150 per group of up to five participants (free for members).

Accessibility

• Wheelchair accessible
• Elevator: no information
• Accessible restroom
• 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

The museum is adapted for disabled access and has an accessible toilet.

Kids & families

Great for kids & families

• Hands-on stations

A child-friendly museum where visitors can try grinding flour on the stone mill and sit up on tractors. Children’s activities are arranged on open days, such as pony riding.

Getting there & parking

Drive along road 44 between Grästorp and Lidköping and follow the signs towards Särestad and the museum. Pass Särestad church, about 300 m further on, and the museum is on the right-hand side.

Amenities & dining

• Café

Café with home-baked bread, coffee, drinks and ice cream.

Events & venue rental

The museum hasn’t published any information on this.

Plan your visit