In the summer of 2024, Axmar Mill, located on the coast in northern Gästrikland, will offer a new and exciting experience for visitors interested in Swedish industrial history. The old smelter, the heart and soul of the mill, has been given a modern touch through an innovative digital installation. Through a simple QR code, you can now take part in the fascinating history of the smelter directly on your mobile phone, free of charge.
Axmar Mill has around 30 information boards scattered around the scenic and culturally interesting destination. These signs tell the story of Sweden's development through centuries of hard work and the founding of the people's home. Around 10 of these have already been equipped with a QR code and a telling story. Now this experience is being expanded with a digital guide inside Hyttan, which takes visitors on a journey back in time from when the mill was founded in 1671 to what it is used for these days.
When you step into the impressive smelter, built around 1860, you are greeted by an atmosphere that breathes history. With the help of the new digital guide, visitors can learn about the rich history of Hyttan and the mill in an interactive and engaging way. By scanning a QR code with their mobile phone, an audio story starts that brings the history of the place to life. The narrator's voice belongs to Sören Calleberg, chairman of the Hyttan Association who also guides in cultural history.
The approximately 8-minute story begins with how the ore was transported by sea from, among other places, the Stockholm archipelago to the Axmar smelter. The good availability of forest in the area was crucial for the establishment of the ironworks, as the forest was used to produce coal. The entire process of roasting the ore in the roasting oven and melting it in the blast furnace is then described in an engaging way.
Visitors also learn about the different steps in iron production, from roasting and crushing the ore to finally melting it in the enormous blast furnace. At a height of around 15 meters, the blast furnace was the largest structure in the smelter and a central part of the production and one of the largest preserved in Sweden.
The smelter was in operation from 1860 to 1927, and after production ceased the building stood and fell into disrepair until the 1970s, when funds were raised to save it. Thanks to the Hyttan Association and other financiers, the smelter has now regained its former glory and is used for concerts, theatre performances, weddings and other celebrations.
The digital guide is part of Pixelvoice, an innovative service that enables the creation of intuitive presentations based on images and speech. Visitors interested in experiencing the history of Hyttan on site can easily take advantage of this service free of charge by scanning the QR code with their mobile phone. It is an easy and accessible way to learn more about Axmar bruk's rich cultural heritage and industrial history.
According to the press release.
