Trastad Samlinger

About the museum

Trastad Samlinger – Nasjonalt Senter for Outsider Art is located at Borkenes in Kvæfjord and is part of Sør-Troms museum. The museum is housed in pavilion 7 on the former Trastad farm, which in 1954 opened as Northern Norway's first central institution for people with intellectual disabilities, then called Nord-Norges åndssvakehjem (Northern Norway's home for people with intellectual disabilities). At its peak the institution had 378 residents from the whole region, and it was closed in 1991 as part of the HVPU reform (the Norwegian reform of care for people with intellectual disabilities). Since 1996 the museum has been housed in pavilion 7.

The pavilion was built in 1966 for two residential and care wards and was closed in 1984 after a fire. It is therefore the only one of the pavilions that was not rebuilt. On the ground floor an authentic, preserved residential and care ward shows the history of the institution with photographs, text and objects. The first floor (annen etasje) has an art workshop, a meeting room and offices, and the gallery on the second floor (tredje etasje) tells the story of Norwegian outsider art with selected works and the museum's ceramics store.

The art collection from Trastad farm comprises around 26,000 works and is the starting point for the museum's collection of national and international outsider art. Through Trastad school the residents learned various art and craft techniques, and artists such as Herleik Kristiansen and Torstein Nilsen have had major exhibitions and public art commissions. The museum is Norway's only gallery for outsider art and the national centre for the field.

Highlights

• Authentically preserved residential and care ward from 1966
• Gallery for Norwegian and international outsider art
• Art collection of around 26,000 works from Trastad school
• Museum shop selling outsider art
• Ceramics store

Permanent exhibitions

• Bo- og pleieavdeling fra 1966 – Authentically preserved ward on the ground floor, showing the history of the institution with photographs, text and objects.
• Outsider Art-galleriet – Gallery on the second floor with the history of Norwegian outsider art and selected works from the collection.

Founded

1996

Operated by

Sør-Troms museum

Admission & discounts

Admission NOK 120 / NOK 55.

Accessibility

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Kids & families

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Getting there & parking

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Amenities & dining

• Museum shop

The museum shop sells outsider art objects, books and catalogues.

Events & venue rental

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