Berlevåg havnemuseum

About the museum

Berlevåg havnemuseum lies on the east side of the inner harbour, at Varnesmoloen. The museum is housed in premises that Statens havnevesen (the State Harbour Authority), today Kystverket (the Norwegian Coastal Administration), used as a base for workers after 1945. In a newer museum building stands an old cargo lighter that visitors can board.

The museum tells of coastal culture and fishing, the Second World War and the occupation, the Pomor trade and the Sámi maritime history. The collections include fishing gear, navigation marks, boats and wartime objects, and there is a large photo archive with pictures from Berlevåg municipality through the ages. On the upper floor a film shows the construction of the breakwaters, and a recreated home environment from a fishing village is displayed.

The history of the harbour is an important part of the museum. The first breakwaters were begun in 1913, but it took almost a hundred years to complete the harbour. Heavy concrete blocks did not withstand the waves from the Barents Sea and were often destroyed. They were later replaced by tetrapods, four-legged concrete elements that disperse wave energy. Today more than 11,000 interlocking tetrapods protect the fishing village, and the tetrapod has become a symbol of the town. Fishing is still the most important industry in Berlevåg. The museum is a department of Museene for kystkultur og gjenreisning i Finnmark IKS (Museums for Coastal Culture and Reconstruction in Finnmark).

Highlights

• The story of the breakwaters and the tetrapods that protect the harbour
• Cargo lighter that visitors can board
• Film on the building of the breakwaters and a recreated home environment from a fishing village
• Exhibition on coastal culture, the war, Pomor trade and Sámi maritime history
• Large photo archive from Berlevåg

Permanent exhibition

• Havne- og kystkultur i Berlevåg – Exhibition on coastal culture and fishing, the war, Pomor trade and Sámi maritime history, with a film on the building of the breakwaters and a recreated home environment from a fishing village.

Operated by

Museene for kystkultur og gjenreisning i Finnmark IKS

Admission & discounts

Guided tours for school classes and kindergartens are free of charge.

Accessibility

The museum hasn’t published any information on this.

Kids & families

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Getting there & parking

Coming in from the sea, the museum is on the left-hand side as you enter the inner harbour. By car, follow Riksvei 890 and turn right after the bridge at the entrance to Berlevåg.

Amenities & dining

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Events & venue rental

The museum hasn’t published any information on this.

Plan your visit