Gasworks Museum

Opened in 1986, the Gasworks Museum in Ljubljana is located in the commercial building of J P Energetika – sektor Plinarna. The museum presents the history of the gasworks in Ljubljana, which is connected with the history of lighting in the town. The first gas lights illuminated the streets and squares of Ljubljana on 9 November 1861, following a proposal of the then mayor of Ljubljana to introduce gas lighting instead of oil lamps. That day is said to be the beginning of the gasworks in Ljubljana. The entrance of the museum is illuminated by four street gaslights (two free-standing ones and two on brackets), which are copies of the gas lamps seen in old picture postcards of Ljubljana. The museum interior presents the history of the gasworks from 1861 onwards on 17 panels and the plans for the gas network in 1931-1995. Also exhibited are diagrams of the operation of the old gasworks, photographs of the production of town gas and photographs of the hard work undertaken in the gasworks. These are accompanied by photographs of different gas lights and chandeliers, and displays on the use of gas for cooking, washing, drying, ironing and heating. The showcases display a concession contract from 1860, a share certificate of the Ljubljana Gasworks from 1863, several pyrometers and explosion meters, gas detectors and calorimeters. The development of gas meters from their inception to the present is presented in detail. Among the exhibits are interesting pressure regulators used in the town gas system, a belt-driven gas exhaust, and several gas stoves and table cookers, as well as water-heaters and ovens.

Gasworks Museum

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