SW23 Visit to Munktellmuseum

Students discover The Munktell Museum located in Munktellstaden, an old industrial district in Eskilstuna which have the unique collection of large machines and technical products, more than 180 years of Swedishindustrial history in the transport section. The musuem shows the history and machines around the mechanical engineering pioneer Johan Theofron Munktell. It is located in the old industrial district of Munktellstaden in Eskilstuna. The museum was opened in 1991 and today has an exhibition area of about 5,000 square metres. Among the almost 100 exhibits in the exhibition are steam engines, construction and agricultural machinery as well as tractors and engines. 

All the machines are restored and fully functional. We found highlights such as the first Swedish tractor from 1913 or a replica of the Förstlingen, Sweden's first steam locomotive. Next to them are wheel loaders, dump trucks and many other machines that students climb on and try out. In total, the museum's collection comprises about 200 objects. Most of them come from the former Bolinder-Munktell company, from which the museum emerged. 

The history of Munktell: Johan Theofron Munktell was born in 1805. He had developed an early interest in technical devices, such as printing presses or minting machines. At the age of 27 he opened his mechanical workshop, Munktells Mekaniska Verkstad, where he worked daily until his death in 1887. During his lifetime, Munktell was also a co-founder of mechanical engineering apprenticeship and technical education.

In 1932, the company merged with Bolinders Mekaniska Verkstad, which was located north of Stockholm. The resulting company, AB Bolinder-Munktell, was bought by Volvo only 18 years later and integrated into the corporation. The museum therefore has the task of preserving and exhibiting historical objects from the entire history of the company.

Students discover a world of mechanics in interactive way and with really old machineries.