Tumba Papermill Museum

The Rikbank, established in 1668, was one of Europe’s first central banks. In the 1750s the bank decided to establish a mill for printing banknote paper at Tumba, 18 km south-west of Stockholm. In 1759 Johan and Erasmus Muller arrived at the mill bringing the latest technology from the Netherlands, together with a nucleus of Dutch workers. Methods of production remained traditional, and it was not until 1939 that the first papermaking machine was commissioned at Tumba. The mill continues in production, in American ownership.

The adjacent museum, located in three renovated buildings associated with the mill, one of them a malthouse, has displays that illustrate the history of the mill, of the locality and of the Rikbank’s notes. There are demonstrations of papermaking by hand. The Royal Coin Cabinet, with examples of Swedish coins over many centuries, is also located at Tumba.

Visitors can also explore the workers’ community that was established around the mill, centred on a clock tower of 1779.