Discover Eskilstuna: Culture, Trails and Unusual Museums

Eskilstuna is a destination for anyone who wants to combine Swedish history, museums and active days.

Industrial History, Art and Historic Cityscapes

One of the city’s notable cultural attractions is Rademachersmedjorna. The site is one of Sweden’s best-preserved complexes from the 17th century. In Gamla Staden, one of Eskilstuna’s oldest and best-preserved areas, the cobbled Köpmangatan runs past 18th-century cultural buildings and along the river. This makes it possible to take a city walk of your own, combining historic architecture with the waterfront without limiting yourself to a single museum.

The Munktell Museum presents more than 190 years of Swedish industrial history. Visitors are allowed to sit in historic vehicles there. In addition, you can use a VR headset to try driving a dump truck in a quarry and operate a mini excavator. Those interested in art will find a collection at Eskilstuna konstmuseum featuring works from the 17th century to the present day. It consists mainly of Nordic and Northern European art, with a focus on 20th-century Swedish painting. The museum also offers guided tours of current exhibitions.

Trails for Walking and Cycling

Åstråket is ideal for outdoor activities. The walking trail is 20 kilometres long and follows the Eskilstunaån from Skjulsta in the south to Ängsholmen in the north. Åstråket can also be used for cycling and paddling. Those looking for a shorter, explicitly family-friendly cycling route can consider the 14-kilometre Lejonrundan. It passes through varied natural surroundings and Eskilstuna city centre. These two routes offer different options for planning your day: a long route along the river or a cycling loop that combines nature and the city.

Discover It Yourself with the Kids

Eskilstuna stadsmuseum is a museum for all age groups and presents exhibitions about Eskilstuna’s history. In the Faktotum experience room, children and adults can independently conduct experiments involving magnetism, electricity and centrifugal force. At Lilla Zoo in Parken Zoo, visitors can get close to farm animals such as sheep, goats, miniature pigs, chickens, rabbits and guinea pigs. These attractions give families several options for a day in which not only looking around but also trying things out themselves plays a role.

Other Destinations in the Area

Another noteworthy museum is the Utedassmuseet, Sörmland’s only museum dedicated to outdoor toilets. Nearby, ReTuna Återbruksgalleria is about an 8-minute drive from central Eskilstuna. It is considered the world’s first reuse gallery; it sells exclusively reused, recycled, ecological or sustainably produced goods. Also nearby is Skjulstabastun, about 4 km from Fristadstorget. The facility has a large and a small sauna as well as its own jetty.

If you would like to compare different focuses for your trip to Eskilstuna, you will also find Ärla, Kvicksund, Stora Sundby, Västra Näshulta and Näshulta. This allows you to tailor your accommodation search to your preferred combination of culture, nature, activity and family experiences.

For the overarching travel overview: Eskilstuna.