De Heibergske Samlinger – Sogn Folkemuseum

About the museum

De Heibergske Samlinger – Sogn Folkemuseum lies on a 110-decare site at Vestreim in Kaupanger in Sogndal and is described as one of Norway’s largest and oldest cultural history museums. The museum is a department of Musea i Sogn og Fjordane, and it also owns smaller sites in their original locations, including Elvhaug in central Sogndal, Stedje mill and Tingastadsagi (Tingastad sawmill).

The open-air museum has around 40 historic buildings that show everyday life in Sogn. Much of the cultural landscape is linked to 19th-century farming, and in summer a museum farm (museumsgard) is run as it was in Sogn some 150 years ago, with sheep and pigs, among other animals.

The main building has three floors with exhibitions on farming, crafts, textiles and clothing, food and drink, and holidays. Here one can see old craft workshops, visit an old dentist’s surgery or look into an old general store (krambu). A separate exhibition for children and young people shows the everyday life of children in the early 20th century and how young people in Sogn lived in the year 2000, with a play and activity area.

Highlights

• Open-air museum with around 40 historic buildings
• Exhibitions across three floors on farming, crafts, textiles and food
• Museum farm with animals in summer
• Exhibition for children and young people with a play area
• Kafé Heiberg with griddle cakes (hellekaker)

Permanent exhibitions

• Friluftsmuseet med rundt 40 historiske bygninger – Buildings from Sogn that show everyday life, with a museum farm with animals in summer.
• Hovedbygningens utstillinger – Three floors on farming, crafts, textiles and clothing, food and drink, and holidays, with old workshops, a dentist’s surgery and a general store.
• Utstilling for barn og unge – Shows the everyday life of children in the early 20th century and how young people in Sogn lived in the year 2000, with a play area.

Operated by

Musea i Sogn og Fjordane

Admission & discounts

A ticket must be bought to use the facilities on the museum grounds during opening hours, but not to walk through the area to the hiking trails. Visitors with a companion card, MAF membership or ICOM card enter free of charge.

Accessibility

• Partially wheelchair accessible
• Elevator
• Accessible restroom
• Accessible parking
• Service dogs welcome
• Tactile models & exhibits: no information
• Sign language tours: no information
• Easy-to-read materials: no information
• Audio description: no information

The main building, with café, shop and exhibitions, has an entrance at ground level through double doors without automatic opening (staff will help), and a lift between the three exhibition floors. The exhibitions mostly have wide passages. Reserved accessible (HC) parking closest to the entrance and a flat gravel road up to the main building. HC toilet with changing mat. In the open-air museum the terrain is somewhat uneven, and one of the farmsteads and some individual houses are not accessible for people with reduced mobility. Wheelchair users cannot access most of the historic buildings. Guide dogs and other service dogs are welcome in all areas, while ordinary dogs are not admitted to the main building.

Kids & families

Great for kids & families

• Family tours & workshops
• Hands-on stations
• Baby changing facilities
• Playground / play area

Children aged 0–17 enter free of charge. A separate exhibition for children and young people has a play and activity area where children can try old toys, and in summer children can meet the animals at the museum farm.

Getting there & parking

From Vesterland feriepark it is a 0.5 km walk, and from Sogndal Fjordpanorama 1.3 km. Walk through the open-air museum to the main building to buy a ticket.

Amenities & dining

• Café
• Museum shop

Kafé Heiberg serves simple refreshments with freshly baked griddle cakes (hellekaker), coffee and more, always with gluten-free and lactose-free options, and there is an outdoor café with a view. The café and museum shop are open to everyone, including without a ticket, during museum opening hours. The shop sells books, gifts, traditional toys and handicraft products in textile, wood and metal made at the museum, and accepts card, cash and Vipps.

Events & venue rental

The museum hasn’t published any information on this.

Plan your visit