Aalesunds Museum

About the museum

Aalesunds Museum was founded in 1903 and is regarded as the first museum in the county. The collections consist of objects, photographs and archive material about the town, and the museum has long been known for its local history book publications and town walks. Aalesunds Museums Venner (Friends of Aalesunds Museum) play an important role in its operation.

The museum is housed in a villa from 1917 on the top of Østre Korsehaug, also called Grimmerhaugen, in the middle of the town centre. The barn on the site was moved here in 1812 and is the town’s oldest building; it survived the town fire of 1904. In the museum park stands a boathouse from 1933 with Sunnmøre boats, fishing equipment and crafts related to catching (fangst), and in a separate lecture hall meetings and courses on the history of the town are held.

The exhibitions cover the town fire of 1904, the Second World War, seafaring and fishing, and town life from the 1920s to the 1960s. The lifeboat “Brude-egget” (URÆD) from 1904, regarded as the world’s first covered lifeboat, stands outdoors by the museum.

Highlights

• Town model and objects from the town fire of 1904
• The lifeboat “Brude-egget” (URÆD) from 1904
• War history exhibition on Ålesund during the Second World War, with an exhibition on Joachim Rønneberg
• Boathouse with Sunnmøre boats and a hunting boat from the Arctic Ocean
• Byblikk (glimpses of the town), with a recreated photographer’s studio, dentist’s surgery, hairdresser’s salon and grocery shop
• Museum park with a view over the town

Permanent exhibitions

• Krigshistorisk utstilling 1940–1945 – Exhibition on the German occupation of Ålesund, the resistance movement, Russian prisoners and the Shetland traffic, with a separate section on the resistance man Joachim Rønneberg.
• Bybrannen 1904 – Town model, pictures and objects showing the extent of the fire on 23 January 1904, which destroyed around 850 houses.
• Maritim historie – Boats from the late 18th century, a hunting boat from the Arctic, models of sailing ships and the lifeboat Brude-egget.
• Byblikk – Recreated workplaces from the 1920s to the 1960s, including photographer, dentist, shoemaker, hairdresser and grocery shop.

Founded

1903

Operated by

Aalesunds Museum

Admission & discounts

Tickets are bought at the door, preferably by card or Vipps (mobile payment). Groups and school classes can be invoiced.

Accessibility

• Wheelchair accessible: not available
• Elevator: no information
• Accessible restroom: no information
• Accessible parking: no information
• Service dogs welcome: no information
• Tactile models & exhibits: no information
• Sign language tours: no information
• Easy-to-read materials: no information
• Audio description: no information

The museum is in an old house with stairs and is not universally designed, so it is not adapted for wheelchairs.

Kids & families

The museum hasn’t published any information on this.

Getting there & parking

The museum is located on top of Østre Korsehaug (Grimmerhaugen) in the middle of Ålesund town centre, a few minutes’ walk from the cruise port, buses, shops and cafés.

Amenities & dining

• Café: not available

The museum has no café, but sells coffee and local history books. Cafés and shopping centres are close by.

Events & venue rental

The museum hasn’t published any information on this.

Plan your visit