Strand skoleinternat
Boarding school from 1905 in Pasvik, built as a symbol of Norwegian sovereignty and today a museum site telling the history of boarding schools in Sør-Varanger.
Have only individual sections read aloud
About the museum
Strand skoleinternat (boarding school) was built in 1905 and became a symbol of the strengthening of Norwegian sovereignty in the Pasvik valley. Finnish had become very widespread in the valley, and there was a need to safeguard the Norwegian language. Until after the Second World War, the boarding schools in Finnmark were an instrument of the state's Norwegianisation policy, which at times bore down hard on pupils whose mother tongue was Sámi, Finnish or Kven.
The boarding house was built on two floors of timber from Pasvik, with dormitories for girls and boys, a room for the housemother, classrooms and a woodwork room (sløydsal). The school also had a chapel, which was used as a church until 1934, and behind the building lies a churchyard where nearly 200 people were buried between 1905 and 1944. The building was extended in 1914 and 1928 and then took on its present appearance. It was spared during the war and is one of the few buildings in the area from before 1945.
The school was a boarding school until the 1960s, and teaching ceased when Svanvik got a new school in 1982. After extensive restoration, Sør-Varanger museum moved in in 1986, and the building opened to the public in 1987. It was the museum's main building until 1997, and today it is one of the district sites of Varanger Museum IKS.
Highlights
- Boarding school from 1905 in the Pasvik valley
- Building from before 1945 that was spared during the war
- The history of the boarding schools and the Norwegianisation policy
- Burial ground from 1905 to 1944 behind the building
- Founded
- 1987
- Operated by
- Varanger Museum IKS
Admission & discounts
| Adults | NOK 120 |
|---|---|
| Reduced | NOK 100Concessions (honnør), students and military conscripts |
| Children & teens | freefree up to age 15 · Children under 16 enter free of charge. |
| Seniors | NOK 100Concession (honnør). |
| Students & apprentices | NOK 100 |
| Guided tour (must be booked well in advance) | NOK 900 |
School classes and nurseries have free admission.
Accessibility
The museum hasn’t published any information on this.
Kids & families
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Getting there & parking
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Amenities & dining
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Events & venue rental
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Plan your visit
| Guided tours | yes |
|---|---|
| Good to know | Guided tours must be booked well in advance. Outside the summer season you can contact the museum to arrange a visit. |
