250th anniversary
Join us in celebrating 250 years of blue colour, cobalt, art, culture and nature at Blaafarveværket in 2026!
In 2026, Blaafarveværket will celebrate 250 years - a quarter of a millennium of history, industrial heritage and the world's most beautiful blue colour that has left its mark on Norway and the world. Since its inception in 1776, Blaafarve Power Station has been a symbol of innovation, culture and nature - from the cobalt mines at Skuterudåsen to the smelter at Simoa and the large-scale pigment production that made the power station one of Europe's most important at the time.
For 250 years, Blaafarveværket has not only preserved the history of industry and technology, but has also created an arena for art, outdoor activities and experiences for the whole family. With an area stretching over 8 kilometres in a unique hiking and cultural landscape, the museum is today one of Norway's most visited museums and attractions during the summer months. The anniversary is an opportunity to emphasise our role as a meeting point between art, nature and people.
The blue colour mill will never be finished, there will always be something new happening here
Tone Sinding Steinsvik to Verdens Gang, 2 June 1984
1 April 1776
This is the official «birthday» of Blaafarveværket. This was the day when the cabinet order stating that the trial operation at Modum had ended and that the Danish-Norwegian state wanted to start extensive cobalt processing at Modum at its own expense was signed by King Christian VII.
Our historian Lasse H. Bjørnland has written an article on the occasion of the anniversary that deals with the establishment of Blaafarveværket. «The creation of a blue colour factory - the foundation of the Royal Modum Blue Colour Factory».