Kristiansand kanonmuseum
German coastal fort from the Second World War at Møvik, with a 38 cm gun in its original position, an ammunition railway and the exhibition “Menneskene og Møvik” (“The People and Møvik”).
Have only individual sections read aloud
About the museum
Kristiansand kanonmuseum is located at Møvik Fort, a German coastal fort from the Second World War, also called Batterie Vara. Together with a sister battery at Hanstholm in Denmark and several minefields, it was to close the Skagerrak to Allied naval forces and protect the convoy harbour of Kristiansand. Construction began in the summer of 1941, and from 1942 the Organisation Todt led the work, using Norwegian, Danish and German labour and later Soviet prisoners of war.
The battery was first called Batterie Kroodden and was then named after a German pioneer general. At the end of 1942 three 38 cm Krupp guns of the same type as on the battleships Bismarck and Tirpitz were ready, manned by about 480 naval artillerymen. Four gun bunkers and ammunition bunkers were built, and the landward side was defended by minefields and positions over more than one and a half kilometres.
The Norwegian armed forces took over in 1946, and the guns were fired for the last time in 1957. The fort was decommissioned in 1959, and two of the guns were scrapped. Parts of the installation opened to the public in 1993, and the museum has been part of Vest-Agder-museet since 2012. The gun that remains is regarded as the only one of its kind in the world. The ammunition railway reopened in 2016 and runs in the summer season.
Highlights
- 38 cm gun in its original position
- Gun bunkers and casemate
- Ammunition railway with train in the summer season
- The exhibition “Menneskene og Møvik” (“The People and Møvik”) in the signal bunker
- Fort bunkers and positions
- Guided tour for groups
Permanent exhibitions
- Menneskene og Møvik – Basic exhibition in the signal bunker on the people who built, manned and took over the fort.
- Kanonen og fortet – Gun position with a 38 cm gun in its original position, and bunkers and installations that can be visited.
- Founded
- 1944
- Operated by
- Vest-Agder-museet
Admission & discounts
| Adults | NOK 125 |
|---|---|
| Children & teens | NOK 50free up to age 3 · Children aged 4–17. |
| Students & apprentices | –Students with a valid student card receive a 50 per cent discount. |
| Families | NOK 290Two adults and three children. |
| Ammunition railway, adult | NOK 80Daily 1 July–2 August. |
| Ammunition railway, child | NOK 50 |
| Guided group tour for up to 20 people | NOK 2,500About one and a half hours. |
Companion cards are accepted. Tickets can be booked in advance online.
Accessibility
- Partially wheelchair accessible
- Elevator: no information
- 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
The guided group tours are only partly adapted for wheelchair users.
Kids & families
| Kids’ admission | free up to age 3 |
|---|---|
| Family ticket | NOK 290 · Two adults and three children. |
A family ticket for two adults and three children is available.
Getting there & parking
By public transit
Bus M1 Flekkerøy runs several times an hour.
By car
Parking available
Large car park at the end of the road, right below the museum.
Follow the signs towards Vågsbygd and Flekkerøy and turn left just before the Flekkerøy tunnel, where there are signs to Kristiansand kanonmuseum.
Get directionsAmenities & 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 · approx. 1.5 hrs |
|---|---|
| Good to know | Guided group tours last about one and a half hours and can be booked all year round. In the evenings, walks through the fort are also held. |
