Bø Museum
Cultural history museum at Oterholt in Bø with museum buildings, an exhibition building and a large collection of Hardanger fiddles (hardingfeler) and folk costumes.
Have only individual sections read aloud
About the museum
Bø Museum is the cultural history museum for Bø in Midt-Telemark. The museum was founded on 26 September 1977 after work by the municipality and several local clubs and associations. Already around 1915 a rural museum association had been formed, and a gift from Bergit Borgen towards a future village collection contributed to the purchase of the property Østerli. At the start of the 1980s the museum bought Åheim country store from 1898.
The museum manages fourteen cultural-history buildings in three areas: Oterholt, Kvennøya in Bøelva and Østerli. At Oterholt is the exhibition building, which was completed in the early 2000s, and next to it stand Åheim, Polen and Åsestugo.
The collection comprises about 10,200 objects, 6,200 photographs and 10,800 books, many of them local literature from Telemark. Particularly strong are folk costumes, Hardanger fiddles, traditional crafts and material from farming and the country store trade. The museum has collected instruments, archives and sources on Norwegian folk music since 1977.
Highlights
- Hardanger fiddle exhibition with 51 instruments, 30 of them on display
- Folk costumes and costume tradition
- Åheim country store from 1898
- Museum grounds at Oterholt and Kvennøya
- Café with rømmegrøt (sour cream porridge) and waffles in the summer season
Permanent exhibitions
- Hardingfela og tradisjonen rundt – Permanent exhibition in the exhibition building on the hardingfele (Hardanger fiddle), the fiddle-player tradition and costumes.
- Digital hardingfeleutstilling – The museum has 51 Hardanger fiddles, and 30 of them are on display. About 25 instruments have sound clips on the website.
- Founded
- 1977
- Operated by
- Bø Museum (medlemsorganisasjon)
Admission & discounts
The museum hasn’t published any information on this.
Accessibility
The museum hasn’t published any information on this.
Kids & families
The museum hasn’t published any information on this.
Getting there & parking
The museum is located at Oterholt in Bø. Visitors can come on foot, by bicycle or by car.
Get directionsAmenities & dining
- Café
- Museum shop
Café with coffee, waffles, ice cream and rømmegrøt in the summer season. Museum shop and online shop.
Events & venue rental
The museum hasn’t published any information on this.
Plan your visit
| Guided tours | yes |
|---|---|
| School programs | yes |
| Good to know | Guided tours in the summer season and by arrangement. Together with Bø turlag (hiking club), the museum offers a cultural walk in the Folkestad area of about 2.5 km (approx. 2 hours). School programme on energy at Kvennøya. |
