Not far from the Forvik ferry terminal, the Ristning/Tjaalege museum building stands next to the open‑air museum, alongside Vevelstad Church. At the open‑air museum, visitors can explore everyday life in the 19th century through guided tours and hands‑on activities, while the museum building takes you further back in time.

Bjørg Helene A. Sollihøgda / Helgeland Museum avdeling Vevelstad
The Vevelstad department of Helgeland Museum is idyllically located between the Kystriksveien Coastal Route and the Vevelstad Sound.

Vevelstad Museum Ristning/Tjaalege opened in spring 2024 and was designed by Atelier Oslo. The building is located along County Road 17, also known as the Kystriksveien Coastal Route.

The exhibition Spor (“Traces”) takes visitors on a journey from the Stone Age through the Iron Age and into the Viking Age, offering insight into both the natural and cultural history of southern Helgeland. The exhibition appeals to both children and adults, with everything from activity stations and a cave with recreated cave paintings to in‑depth learning stations.

Bjørg Helene A. Sollihøgda / Helgeland Museum avdeling Vevelstad
From the activity station inside Vevelstad Museum Ristning/Tjaalege, where visitors can create their own rock carving, either digitally or on paper.

Helgeland Museum’s 18 departments complement each other, and in Vevelstad the main focus is rock art, such as petroglyphs, runes, and cave paintings. Visitors can touch local stone, create their own imprints of reconstructed rock carvings, or design a digital carving of their own.

Those interested in archaeology and regional history can explore Norway’s Iron Age in more detail. Ancient ritual sites, Iron Age burial practices, and reconstructions of early longhouses show that this region was an active and important area more than 1,000 years ago.

Vevelstad Museum Vevelstad Museum

The museum also focuses on Norse poetry from Helgeland, with a particular emphasis on a well-known skald from Sandnessjøen, Øyvind Skaldespille. The poems have been dramatized by professional actor Sven Henriksen and can be heard in the exhibition. Visitors can also explore art inspired by Helgeland!

Vevelstad bygdetun

The open‑air museum, with its 11 historic buildings and a well‑kept museum garden, is open to visitors at all times. Several benches are available, and everyone is welcome to enjoy a packed lunch here, both during and outside opening hours. Outside opening hours, visitors can learn about the site and its buildings through information panels describing both plants and architecture.

Bjørg Helene A. Sollihøgda / Helgeland Museum avdeling Vevelstad
The outdoor area at Vevelstad Open‑Air Museum is open all year round. If the site is closed when you visit, you are welcome to leave a note in the guestbook while enjoying the view from the Royal Pavilion. During opening hours, the buildings are open to visitors, offering insight into the living conditions of tenant farmers in the 19th century.

In the children’s barn, younger visitors can try their hand at caring for the animals. Although the animals are made of wood, the experience is popular with both children and adults. This year, the children’s barn is being expanded to include the entire upper floor of the barn – well worth a visit to see the new addition.

Bjørg Helene A. Sollihøgda / Helgeland Museum avdeling Vevelstad
In the children’s barn, kids can take care of our wooden animals. The cows, sheep, and chickens all need feeding and a bit of attention from time to time.

The open‑air museum was established by the Vevelstad Historical Society in 1980, with Arnt O. Åsvang (1939–2003) as one of its driving forces. In 2025, a bronze bust of Åsvang was unveiled during the Vevelstad Days festival. The bust was created by sculptor Svein‑Tore Kleppan on behalf of the historical society and is located at the entrance to the open‑air museum.

Bjørg Helene A. Sollihøgda / Helgeland Museum avdeling Vevelstad
Sculptor Svein‑Tore Kleppan with the bronze bust of Arnt O. Åsvang, unveiled on Sunday, 13 July 2025.

Opening Hours for Ristning 2026:

May 24 – June 21
Saturdays and Sundays
11:00 AM – 3:00 PM

June 27 – August 16
Tuesday to Sunday
11:00 AM – 3:00 PM

Ticket Prices:
Adults: NOK 100
Seniors: NOK 80
Children/Youth up to 17 years and students: Free.

The buildings at the village museum are open during events, upon request, and throughout the summer season.

Vevelstad Museum is just south of the Forvik ferry terminal, in the northern part of Vevelstad, between Brønnøysund and Sandnessjøen. You can get there by ferry to Forvik from the north, or to Andalsvågen from the south.

Find your way with Google Maps
Read more about Vevelstad and how to get there

Thank you for respecting the local communities, and for helping us preserve the natural beauty of Helgeland!

Please:

  • Strive to leave no trace of your visit. Bring back all your rubbish, including used toilet paper, and discard it in the nearest rubbish bin.
  • Plan your toilet visits and use the opportunity when you pass a toilet. In the wilderness, make sure you are not a nuisance to others.
  • Respect the local wildlife. Keep a good distance from wildlife, livestock and birds. Keep your dog leashed.
  • Respect private property. Keep a respectful distance from houses and cabins.
  • Show good boating sense. Keep a good distance from shore and drive at a low speed, especially when you are close to anyone or anything on the water, including birds or animals. Avoid loud and disturbing engine noise. Be aware that some islands and nature reserves are important nesting sites, and that going ashore is prohibited during the nesting season.
  • Follow the Norwegian Mountain Code (Fjellvettreglene). Plan your excursion according to the weather forecast, your skills and experience.
  • Join a guided excursion or consider hiring an experienced guide, especially when you don’t have sufficient experience or knowledge to guarantee a safe trip.

Welcome to Vevelstad and Vistenfjorden

Explore the beautiful Vistenfjorden, experience the wilderness areas of Lomsdal-Visten National Park, and delve into cultural history among rock carvings and runes, Nordland boats, and rural museums.

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