Hardanger folkemuseum

About the museum

Hardanger folkemuseum was founded in 1911 and is the oldest folk museum in Hordaland. It lies on the point at Utne, with views over the fjord and the mountains. Here visitors can experience Hardanger culture in exhibitions in a modern museum building and in the historic buildings of the museum farmstead. The museum building was erected in three stages: the first part was completed in 1976, the second part dates from 1987, and the new top floor opened in 2011.

The museum farmstead is laid out as a cluster farm, as it may have looked before the land redistribution at the end of the 1800s. Only two of the houses originally stood on the property; the rest have been moved here from various places in Hardanger. The houses are furnished with period settings and most are open to the public, including a medieval årestue (living room), an eldhus (cooking house), a 19th-century dwelling house and an old schoolroom from Djønno. The latest addition is the cotter's house Skarabakken, which opened to the public in September 2018. The farmstead also has an orchard with old apple and pear varieties, and the Diktarstien (Poets' Path).

The exhibitions show the Hardanger bunad and how it developed from local folk dress into a national symbol, Hardanger embroidery over several hundred years, and the most complete collection of older Hardanger fiddles in the country. The museum also has branches at Skredhaugen in Lofthus and at Bu, runs Agatunet, and is part of Hardanger og Voss museum.

Highlights

• The Hardanger bunad, from folk dress to national symbol
• Hardanger embroidery over several hundred years
• The country's most complete collection of older Hardanger fiddles
• Museum farmstead with about 20 old houses, including a medieval årestue
• Café on the third floor with a view of the fjord

Permanent exhibitions

• Hardangerbunaden – Permanent costume exhibition with a large selection from the collections and the development of the bunad from local folk dress to national symbol.
• Hardangersaum – Hardanger embroidery from several hundred years, including the embroidered apron panel (forklebord) that won a prize at the 1900 World Exhibition in Paris.
• Folkemusikk og hardingfeler – The country's most complete collection of older Hardanger fiddles, with an audio-visual section and recordings from the folk music archive.

Founded

1911

Operated by

Hardanger og Voss museum

Admission & discounts

Free admission for members of Norges museumsforbund (Norwegian Museums Association) and ICOM.

Accessibility

The museum hasn’t published any information on this.

Kids & families

The museum hasn’t published any information on this.

Getting there & parking

By car along County Road 550 from Jondal (36 km) and Odda (46 km), or via National Road 13 with a car ferry to Utne from Kvanndal and Kinsarvik. The museum is at the end of the town road, past the Joker shop and the ferry quay, at the top of the hill. For arrival by boat, the GPS coordinates 60,4261 / 6,6186 can be used.

Amenities & dining

• Café
• Museum shop

Café on the third floor with views over the fjords and the mountain Oksen, serving cakes, open sandwiches, toast and soup, with an emphasis on food sourced from the local area. In 2026 the café is open Saturday and Sunday 10:00–17:00 from 3 May to 14 June, and every day 10:00–17:00 from 15 June to 30 August; in winter only on special occasions. Groups must book in advance. Museum shop.

Events & venue rental

• Spaces for rent

The museum rents out its premises; the café welcomes larger groups and clubs for meetings, gatherings and celebrations.

Plan your visit