Activities: Our Theme parks

Seven theme parks were opened in the Bergslagen Ecomuseum in 2003.
Here is a quick guide to the different parks:

Forests and charcoal at Grangärde Kyrkby.
Here children can let their imagination run wild as they explore curious creations such as upside-down trees, skywatching, a fibbing seat, great climbing trees, and a fortune-teller’s cottage.

Forges and wrought iron at the Flogberget mines.
A small forge in which children can try their hand at being a blacksmith. Many fun devices that demonstrate how power is transmitted, how rolling mills work, how levers work, how cable-ways work, how balances work and what equilibrium is.

Mining and rock at Nya Lapphyttan, Norberg.
Here, a pithead and hoist have been erected on top of a reproduction mine. Children can walk through an underground gallery, experience how dark and dank it is, continue up to the pithead, and then emerge onto the rock at the top.

Smelting house and cast iron at Västanfors, Fagersta.
This is a chicken farm where the hen-house is also a model of an old smelting house. At the side of it is a miniature canal and a lock, together with some boats which children can "lock through" themselves. A small forge hammer is being driven by a water-wheel. At certain times children can also try their hand at making iron castings.

Slag Färna Herrgård estate.
Here, children can find interesting minerals, and pieces of iron ore, iron, slag and red earth. They can also operate a water-driven draught engine. The system comprises a shaft made up of an ingenious reciprocating-action wooden-pole system, together with a cable-way, that is used to transfer power mechanically from the water-wheel to the mine. The system of wooden poles could be several kilometres long. There is also a ship’s wheel, mounted horizontally, whose spokes are used to connect the shaft poles so that the direction of the power shaft can be altered.

Women and the wheel at Stenhuset in Surahammar.
This site features the tools and implements used in the process of making iron, many of which are similar to tools used in the home... fans, egg whisks and rolling pins, to mention just a few.

Canal and locks Skantzen in Hallstahammar.
This is where children will find the canal office, the canal itself, locks, and two splendid miniature canal barges waiting to be loaded or unloaded—with the aid of the crane provided.