Orkla Industrial Museum

The local community Løkken Verk has developed during more than 300 years of mining industry. The ore in the Løkken field was discovered in 1652 and the mines put into operation in 1654. Later this find proved to be one of the greatest cuperous-pyrite deposits in the world. During the first 250 years copper was the main product of the mines, followed by a period where both copper and sulphur were extracted. Finally copper, zink and silver were the Løkken Mines products.

It was not until the start of the 20th century that an industrial-scale mining fully developed. The architect Christian Thams was the initator of the Orkla Grube-Aktiebolag (Orkla Mining Company), and he started one of the largest industrial enterprises in Norway at that time. Production premises, power plants, offices, shops, housing units were all required in the modern industrial society. A 25 km long metre-gauge electric railway the Thamhavnbanen was constructed to link the mines with the port of Thamhavn, near Orkanger on an inlet off the Trondheim Fiord. Shortly afterwards, however, Mr Thams gave up his project. But what he founded grew to become one of Norway’s most solid industrial undertakings and the precursor of the present Orkla Group.

Orkla lndustrial Museum preserves industrial and technical pieces of historical interest through the Old Mine, the Thamshavn Railway and the Information center with informative and exiting exhibitions. Visitors are able to go underground to experience a vast underground chamber, the Fagerli Hall, which is 15 m high and is the venue for occasional concerts.