Sigdal Museum

About the museum

The idea of a museum for Sigdal and Eggedal arose in the 1920s, when the Fylkeslaget (regional association), a federation of local youth clubs, began planning. The site chosen was Verkenstomta at Prestfoss. In 1934 Gina and Steinar Eiken gave away the Eikje building, which was taken down and moved to the museum grounds, a job that required 142 cartloads. The museum officially opened in 1945 as Sigdal og Eggedal Bygdemuseum with three buildings: the Eikje building, Berganstua and Åsandføset.

Since then eleven buildings have been added, dating from the late 1500s to the mid-1800s. The Eikje building is the main house of a traditional farm from before industrialisation, with a husmannsplass (cotter's farm), a barn, a stable, stølsbuer (summer dairy huts) and other outbuildings. The museum looks after 23 antiquarian buildings.

The museum grounds were the site of Sigdal Nikkelverk (nickel works) from 1874 to 1879, where nickel-bearing ore was mined and smelted. Today Sigdal Museum is a cultural history museum for Sigdal, Modum and Krødsherad, with two exhibition buildings, over 13,000 objects and photographs, and archives. It is part of the Stiftelsen Buskerudmuseene foundation.

Highlights

• Open-air museum with 23 antiquarian buildings from the 1500s to the 1800s
• The Eikje building, main house of a farm from before industrialisation
• Exhibitions in the Plassane visitor centre and in the Magasinet
• Berganstua, a timber-work station for children
• Museum café and shop in Plassane

Permanent exhibition

• Friluftsmuseet – Farmstead with 23 buildings from the late 1500s to the mid-1800s, with the Eikje building as the main house.

Founded

1945

Operated by

Buskerudmuseene

Admission & discounts

Accessibility

• Partially wheelchair accessible
• Elevator: no information
• Accessible restroom
• 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 historic buildings in the open-air museum are not accessible by wheelchair. The Plassane visitor centre and the Magasinet are accessible, and the Magasinet has an accessible toilet. A path to the open-air museum can be used by wheelchair.

Kids & families

• Hands-on stations

The timber-work station in Berganstua is open during museum hours, and kubb, mikado and stilts can be borrowed when the museum is open.

Getting there & parking

Drive west through Prestfoss, take the first turn left after the bridge and drive about 250 metres uphill; the museum is next to Sigdal ungdomsskole (lower secondary school) and the community hall.

Amenities & dining

• Café
• Museum shop

Café in Plassane serving coffee, waffles, mineral water and ice cream. The shop in Plassane sells local history books, local literature and souvenirs designed after objects in the collection.

Events & venue rental

The museum hasn’t published any information on this.

Plan your visit