Ibsen-museet i Grimstad
Museum in Grimstad's old pharmacy, where the young Henrik Ibsen worked and wrote his first play, Catilina.
Have only individual sections read aloud
About the museum
Henrik Ibsen came to Grimstad in 1843, aged 15, to train with the town's apothecary. During the six years he lived here he became a pharmacy assistant, a social critic and a writer. He left the town in 1850 with the newly published play Catilina in his luggage, and with the aim of working in the theatre.
The building dates from 1757 and has preserved the original pharmacy interior from 1839, where Ibsen worked. He learned to roll pills and make syrups, extracts and plasters, and he also sold perfume, tea, coffee, spices, paints, soft soap and wine. In the guardroom (vaktstua) he lived and wrote his first drama. The building was given to the town in 1916 and is today a museum.
The museum is run by Grimstad bys museer (Grimstad Town Museums), part of Aust-Agder museum og arkiv IKS. The exhibition “Henrik” follows Ibsen's youth in Grimstad, his friendships, his romances and the “illegitimate” child, and shows how the young man became one of the world's leading dramatists. Visits are with a guide, and the museum also has its own Ibsen herb garden (urtehage) in the park at Dømmesmoen.
Highlights
- The original pharmacy from 1839
- The guardroom where Ibsen wrote Catilina
- The exhibition “Henrik” on Ibsen's youth
- Guided tour, also in English
- Ibsen's herb garden at Dømmesmoen
- Walk through Ibsen's Grimstad
Permanent exhibition
- Henrik – Exhibition on the young Henrik Ibsen's life in Grimstad, with the original pharmacy and the guardroom where he wrote Catilina.
- Operated by
- Grimstad bys museer (Aust-Agder museum og arkiv IKS)
Admission & discounts
The museum hasn’t published any information on this.
Accessibility
The museum hasn’t published any information on this.
Kids & families
- Family tours & workshops
The museum is open to school classes and nurseries all year and has its own offer for children.
Getting there & parking
The museum hasn’t published any information on this.
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
| Guided tours | yes |
|---|---|
| School programs | yes |
| Good to know | Visits are with a guide; private tours for groups and individuals can be booked all year. The museum also offers the guided walks “Vandring i Ibsens Grimstad” (Walk in Ibsen's Grimstad) and “Vandring i Dikterbyen Grimstad” (Walk in the Poets' Town Grimstad), and a film game (Filmspel) with QR codes at the Ibsen memorials in the town. |
