Evje og Hornnes geomuseum Fennefoss

About the museum

Fennefoss lies on the west side of the Otra and in the early 1800s was a main centre of the Haugean movement in Setesdal. The farm is known from Alexander Kielland's novel Skipper Worse, in which one of the main characters is called Hans Nilsen Fennefoss. In 1975 Fennefoss was bought as a museum farm following personal initiatives, and the spacious main farmhouse today houses the exhibitions. Around the main building a number of older buildings have also been set up, forming a farmyard of their own.

The museum is a local history museum with many kinds of objects. Among the old farm objects are Setesdal's oldest pharmacy from 1910, a schoolroom, a shoemaker's workshop and an old farm living room (bondestue). The main focus, however, is geology and mining in the Evje and Iveland area, and here lies the museum's crown jewel, a large collection of Norwegian and foreign minerals. The collection also includes equipment of the kind Marie Curie is said to have used in her work with radioactive substances in the early 1900s.

In the past the minerals were shown in a way that mainly suited the genuinely interested. Today they are placed in larger contexts, with emphasis on what the different minerals are used for. The museum is part of Setesdalsmuseet, which is run by Aust-Agder museum og arkiv.

Highlights

• Setesdal's largest mineral collection
• Evje's old pharmacy from 1910
• Schoolroom and shoemaker's workshop
• Old farm living room and farm buildings
• Geology and mining in Evje and Iveland
• Rosemaling (decorative painting) and local culture

Permanent exhibitions

• Mineralsamlingen – Setesdal's largest collection of Norwegian and foreign minerals, with emphasis on geology and mining in the Evje and Iveland area.
• Bygdemuseet – Farmhouse with old farm objects, Setesdal's oldest pharmacy, a schoolroom, a shoemaker's workshop and farm buildings.

Operated by

Aust-Agder museum og arkiv (Setesdalsmuseet)

Admission & discounts

Accessibility

The museum hasn’t published any information on this.

Kids & families

Children aged 0–16 enter free of charge.

Getting there & parking

The museum is at Fennefoss on the west side of the Otra.

Amenities & dining

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Events & venue rental

The museum hasn’t published any information on this.

Plan your visit