Hordamuseet

About the museum

The main theme of Hordamuseet is the traditional life of the strilene, the people of the coastal and fjord landscape around Bergen. They usually ran small-scale farming in combination with fishing and crafts. The meagre soil and dependence on the sea made them tough, industrious and frugal, and in Bergen they could sell goods and labour and buy what they could not make themselves.

In the open-air museum stands a selection of traditional buildings from Nord- and Midthordland: klyngetun (cluster farmsteads) and rekketun (row farmsteads) with dwelling houses and outbuildings, workshops, a school building and a trading post (handelssted). The houses are only open at events or by arrangement, but the outdoor area is generally open to everyone. The landscape around the museum has been inhabited since the early Stone Age and bears traces from the Iron Age, including settlement sites, graves, a stone ring and a large longship boathouse (langskipsnaust).

In the main building a large, permanent exhibition shows life on Strilelandet with photographs, tools and folk art. The boat hall holds a collection of open, clinker-built wooden boats from Vestlandet, and the museum also has a mountain summer farm (støl) section on Fanafjellet. Three of Bergen’s old hearses (begravelsesvogner) were moved here in 2021.

Highlights

• Klyngetun and rekketun from Nord- and Midthordland
• Boat hall with clinker-built wooden boats from Vestlandet
• Iron Age monuments, including a longship boathouse
• Permanent exhibition on life on Strilelandet
• Mountain summer farm (støl) section on Fanafjellet

Permanent exhibitions

• Livet på Strilelandet – Large, permanent exhibition in the main building with photographs, tools and folk art from the collections.
• Båthallen – Collection of open, clinker-built wooden boats from Vestlandet, with emphasis on boatbuilding traditions and the use of the boats.
• Bergens begravelsesvogner – siste reis – Three of Bergen’s old hearses, moved to the museum in 2021.

Founded

1945

Operated by

Stiftelsen Bymuseet i Bergen

Admission & discounts

The museum hasn’t published any information on this.

Accessibility

• Partially wheelchair accessible
• Elevator
• Accessible restroom: no information
• Accessible parking: no information
• 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

Wheelchair-friendly, with gravel paths across the whole area and lifts in the main building and the Båthallen (boat hall). The old houses in the klyngetun are not wheelchair-friendly.

Kids & families

The museum hasn’t published any information on this.

Getting there & parking

It takes 20–30 minutes by car from Bergen city centre.

Amenities & dining

The museum hasn’t published any information on this.

Events & venue rental

The museum hasn’t published any information on this.

Plan your visit