Visnes Gruvemuseum
Museum area on Karmøy after Northern Europe's largest copper works, with a mining museum, workers' housing, administration building and smelter ruins.
Have only individual sections read aloud
About the museum
Visnes was in its day Norway's largest workplace and Northern Europe's largest copper works. Mining began in the 1860s, and the place was the first in Norway with a telephone (1880) and the second with electric light (1885). A drilling machine for use in the mine arrived in 1875. The copper for the Statue of Liberty in New York was obtained from here. Because the mine had foreign ownership, modern technology came in early from the Continent.
Today Visnes is a museum area with the Gruvemuseet (mining museum), which was completed in 1993 and has exhibitions on two floors, a cinema room with a film about the mining history, and a children's mine where children can chisel out a stone for themselves. The area includes workers' housing from the 1850s and 1870s, the administration building from 1868 with furniture from the director's villa, the ruins of the smelter from 1872, Gamlegruva (the old mine) from 1865, the Kong Oscar portal (Kong Oscar-portalen) and a summerhouse (lysthus).
The area also has the park Fransehagen with a café and bistro, cultural trails, a playground, a zipline and the app Tilbakeblikk (Looking Back), which shows scenes from the mining days. The mining museum welcomes groups by booking all year.
Highlights
- Northern Europe's largest copper works in its day
- Mining museum with exhibitions on two floors and a cinema room
- Workers' housing and administration building from the 1800s
- Smelter ruins and the Kong Oscar portal
- Fransehagen with a playground, zipline and café
Permanent exhibition
- Gruvemuseet – Exhibitions on two floors and a cinema room on the history of the copper works, with rooms from the director's villa in the administration building.
- Founded
- 1993
- Operated by
- Visnes Gruvemuseum
Admission & discounts
| Adults | NOK 100 |
|---|---|
| Reduced | NOK 50Children and students |
| Children & teens | NOK 50free up to age 3 · Children aged 4 to 18; children under 4 enter free of charge. |
| Students & apprentices | NOK 50 |
Loan of a petanque court and balls for one hour costs NOK 50 per person.
Accessibility
The museum hasn’t published any information on this.
Kids & families
Great for kids & families
| Kids’ admission | free up to age 3 |
|---|
- Family tours & workshops
- Hands-on stations
- Playground / play area
The children's mine Litlaortå, a mine playground, a zipline in Fransehagen, Eventyrjakten (fairy-tale hunt) and disc golf.
Getting there & parking
By public transit
There is no public bus service to Visnes; the hop-on hop-off bus from Haugesund stops at Visnes for cruise passengers.
Visnes is about 15 minutes by car from Haugesund city centre.
Get directionsAmenities & dining
- Café
- Restaurant
Fransehagen café & bistro in the administration building is currently open only for pre-booked groups.
Events & venue rental
Team building with a guided tour, petanque and food service in Fransehagen can be arranged.
Plan your visit
| Guided tours | yes |
|---|---|
| Good to know | Guided tours for groups on request all year. |
