Halden museum – Fredriksten

About the museum

Halden museum – Fredriksten is located in the Østre kurtine in the Inner Fortress at Fredriksten fortress. The museum tells of the town's and the border region's military history from the 1640s to 1905, and of everyday life for those who built, defended and lived by the fortress. It is run by Østfoldmuseene as part of Halden museum.

Fredriksten was built after Norway had to cede Bohuslän to Sweden in 1658, and Halden became a border town for the first time. Construction started in the autumn of 1661, and the fortress wall alone took more than ten years to raise. Farmers, townspeople and soldiers took part in the work, and for decades the building shaped life in the small trading place. The fortress was attacked several times but never conquered in battle.

The exhibition "Det store fallet" (The Great Fall) takes visitors into the Great Northern War and the siege of 1718, when the Swedish king Karl XII was killed outside the fortress. The museum also shows how Fredriksten and the town experienced the siege of 1814, including flags and banners that Swedish troops took with them in 1815 and that have now returned. In the former water tower there is a separate exhibition. Outside the museum, Karl XIIs sti (Karl XII's path) follows a route from Halden market square through the fortress, with historical figures from the king's time presented along the way.

Highlights

• The exhibition "Det store fallet" on Karl XII and the siege of 1718
• "Frykt og ære" (Fear and Honour) on Fredrikshald and Fredriksten in 1814, with banners that have returned
• Exhibition in the former water tower
• Karl XIIs sti (Karl XII's path) from Halden market square to the fortress
• Light projections on the walls of Østre kurtine in the evening

Permanent exhibitions

• Det store fallet – The exhibition tells of the background to Karl XII's death and the fall of the Swedish realm in 1718, with objects and personal accounts from Østfold and the border areas.
• Frykt og ære – Fredrikshald og Fredriksten 1814 – The exhibition deals with the siege of the fortress in 1814 and shows flags and banners that have returned to Fredriksten.
• Så godt som halve Norge – Bohuslän og 1658 – The exhibition covers the peace of Roskilde in 1658 and how Halden became a border town.

Operated by

Østfoldmuseene (Halden museum)

Admission & discounts

Free admission for children aged 0–5, companions, members with a friends' card (vennekort), members of ICOM and Norges museumsforbund, and holders of an activity card, experience card or culture card. Separate prices apply to events, lectures and guided tours. With an annual pass from Østfoldmuseene there is free admission to all their museums.

Accessibility

• Partially wheelchair accessible
• Elevator: not available
• Accessible restroom
• Accessible parking
• 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 main entrance has two steps. Visitors who need a wheelchair entrance can use an emergency exit on the ground floor, which has a door with a threshold; the museum hosts will help. The museum spans two floors connected by stairs; there is no lift, and a spiral staircase leads up to the water tower. There are small ramps, and all stairs and ramps have handrails. There is no hearing loop. Parts of the exhibition have subdued lighting, and several videos may produce echoes. There is no toilet in the museum; the nearest toilet, with a disabled toilet and step-free access, is in the building between Østre kurtine and Fredriksten Infosenter. It can be demanding to move around the Inner Fortress by wheelchair.

Kids & families

The museum shop on the ground floor is accessible with a pram, but the stairs and spiral staircase mean that not all of the exhibition suits a pram.

Getting there & parking

From Halden market square it is about 750 metres up to the fortress via Peder Colbjørnsens gate and Borgerskansen; the climb is steep and the walk takes 25–30 minutes. Karl XIIs sti has information signs and leads from Halden police station to the fortress.

Amenities & dining

• Museum shop

The museum shop is on the ground floor. Nearby places to eat are Fredriksten Kro, Vertshuset Curtisen and Kongshallene.

Events & venue rental

The museum hasn’t published any information on this.

Plan your visit