Birkenes Bygdemuseum - Myhre Torvstrøfabrikk

About

Myhre "Torvstrøfabrikk" Factory is a unique industrial heritage site and the best preserved peat litter factory in Norway. Visitors can follow the entire process from peat cutting in the bog to finished peat litter bales. The original steam locomotive engine from 1907 powers the machinery and plays a central role in the production. Carefully restored, it is an impressive feature of the factory.

The factory was established in 1895 by brothers Per and Tobias Knudsen from Lillesand and was among the first and largest peat litter factories in Southern Norway. Peat litter was an important resource, used as bedding in barns and stables and as filling in outdoor toilets before the introduction of modern sanitation. During both World Wars, peat was also produced for fuel.

Production ceased in 1957, but the factory was later restored and reopened as an industrial museum in 1989. The site is regarded as the only intact peat litter factory in Norway and was awarded the county’s Building Conservation Prize in 1993.

The peat litter factory is currently closed due to the need for restoration. Myhre Peat Litter Factory is part of Birkenes Local History Museum, located two kilometres north of the factory site.