Museum Vest
Museum Vest
Herdla museum
Herdla museum is to be found on the island Herdla far north in Askøy. The museum is located centrally by Herdlavågen and is the best starting point for exploring an interesting island.
The museum presents natural and cultural- historical themes. One important theme is about Herdla during World War II when a German airbase was stationed here. The exhibition shows models of airplanes, an airport and a defence base in addition to a number of items from the war days.
The museum has furthermore an exhibition about how the landscape on Herdla was formed after the last ice period. This landscape, recognized by its plains, beaches and shallow water areas, is the habitat for a rich and varied bird life on the island. The exhibition contains information about the many bird species found on Herdla.
Ambulant exhibitions are on show in a restored “German barrack” in the museum park.
Opening hours:
1 March – 31 May: Sundays 12.00 – 17.00
1 June – 14 August: Daily 12.00 – 17.00
15 August - 30 November: Sundays 12.00 – 17.00
Otherwise by appointment
Entrance:
Adults: NOK 50
Children: free
Kystmuseet i Øygarden/The Coastal Museum in Øygarden
The Coastal Museum is situated in Ovågen in Øygarden. The main exhibition here, “Sea and Wind – Earth and Fire”, deals with how energy and resources have been in use for 10 000 years in a typical Norwegian coastal society. The area around the modern museum building also shows a coastal environment with its boathouses, salt house, boats and tools.
The museum owns other buildings like a turf house and a water mill. If you rent a bicycle from the museum or join a guided tour, you can see these houses, which are in their original environment. A guided tour will take you through the history of resources – from times when they burnt turf for heating up to today’s petroleum technology.
After your visit you may enjoy good, traditional food in the cafe or visit the museum shop.
Opening hours:
April - November: Sundays 12.00 – 17.00
2 May – 31 August: Monday – Friday 11.00 – 16.00
Sundays 12.00 – 17.00
Entrance:
Adults: NOK 40
Children (0-16 yrs) free
Groups, more than 20: NOK 30 per person
Norges Fiskerimuseum/Norwegian Fisheries Museum
The Norwegian Fisheries Museum hosts displays on Bontelabo at the far end of the harbour of Bergen. The Norwegian history of fisheries, mainly during the last 150 years, is presented here. The exhibition shows the development of the fishing industry with the emphasis on the value of technology and economy. A considerate collection of boat models and tools are to be seen, and archives containing books and photos are available.
The museum also deals with today’s fisheries and sea farming and presents a discussion around the management of resources and Norway’s important part in the fisheries.
Opening hours:
15 May – 15 September: Monday – Friday: 9.00 – 16.00
Saturday – Sunday: 10.00 – 16.00
16 September – 14 May: Monday – Friday: 10.00 – 14.00
Saturday closed
Sunday: 11.00 – 16.00
Also:
Films. Cafe 10.00 – 14.00
Entrance:
Adults: NOK 40
Student/Senior: NOK 20
Children (0-16 yrs): free
Groups, more than 20 persons: NOK 30 per person
The Hanseatic Museum and Schøtstuene
The Hanseatic Museum is situated centrally on Bryggen in Bergen. The museum shows how the German merchants from The Hanseatic League lived and worked. From 1350 to 1750 these merchants traded stockfish and grains from their office in Bergen. The museum was opened in 1872 and has two trading houses, one facing the sea and one in back of the tenement. You may walk through this building from 1704, the only house on Bryggen which has kept its original interior.
Walking for five minutes to the other side of Bryggen, you will find Schøtstuene next to St. Mary’s Church. These rooms were assembly halls for the Hanseatic merchants during winter time. Due to the danger of fire, Schøtstuene were placed separately behind the other office buildings. In winter hot meals were served here. The buildings were also used for teaching and as courtrooms, meeting rooms and party rooms. The museum consists of three assembly rooms and a kitchen.
Opening hours:
15 May – 15 September:
The Hanseatic Museum: daily 9.00 – 17.00
Schøtstuene: daily 10.00 – 17.00
16 September – 14 May:
The Hanseatic Museum: Tueday – Saturday: 11.00 – 14.00
Sunday: 11.00 – 16.00
Monday: closed
Schøtstuene: Monday – Saturday: closed
Sundays: 11.00 – 14.00
Schøtstuene are closed January and February
Extras:
June – August: Guided tours daily in Norwegian, English, German and French
Entrance:
Summer:
Adults: NOK 50
Children (0-16 yrs) free
Winter:
Adults: NOK 30
Children (0-16 yrs) free
The ticket is valid for both The Hanseatic Museum and Schøtstuene the same day.
Nordsjøfartmuseet/The North Sea Traffic Museum
The North Sea Traffic Museum is situated in Telavåg on the island Sotra west of Bergen. During World War II Telavåg played an important role in the North Sea Traffic – the illegal boat traffic between Norway and Great Britain.
26 April 1942 two German officers were shot dead by Norwegian agents in Telavåg. As revenge the Germans exposed the locals to serious hardships. All grown men were deported to concentration camps in Germany, whereas women and children were kept in internment in Framnes in Hardanger. The Germans then blew up all houses and other buildings to wipe out the whole village.
The permanent exhibition of The North Sea Traffic Museum deals with the Telavåg tragedy. The museum also exhibits The North Sea Traffic and Shetland-Larsen, a central person in this traffic, and also temporary exhibitions, mostly about war/human rights.
The museum hosts a cafe and a shop and is a good starting point for trips along the North Sea Route.
Opening hours:
September – April: Sundays 12.00 – 17.00
May – August: Monday – Saturday 11.00 – 16.00
Sunday 12.00 – 17.00
Otherwise by appointment
Entrance:
Adults: NOK 50
Children: free
Pupils on project: NOK 20 per pupil
Groups, more than 20 persons: NOK 30 per person
Fjell festning/Fjell fortress
You find Fjell fortress on the island Sotra, west of Bergen. To secure the entrance to Bergen, Fjell fortress was built by the Germans during their occupation of Norway. The work started in 1942 and was only stopped by the Germans’ capitulation in 1945. Fjell fortress constituted one part of the “Atlantic wall” which made the German frontlines going all the way along the Atlantic Ocean from The Arctic Ocean to the Pyrenees. When World War II ended, the Norwegian National Defence took over Fjell fortress, first as a part of the Coastal Defence Battery, then later as a radar station.
The Defence closed down the place in 2004, the same year The Central Office of Historic Monuments decided to preserve Fjell fortress as a military heritage. Since then, much effort has been made to secure the fort and make it available to the public. To protect the cannon well, which now works as a cafe and assembly room, a conservation building has been built above it.
Opening hours:
May - August: Saturday and Sunday 11.00 - 16.00.
Otherwise by appointment
Entrance:
Adults: NOK 60
Children: free
