Would you like to gain some fascinating insights about Helgeland? One of the best ways to do so is to visit Helgeland Museum. Actually it’s not just one museum – there are 18 museum facilities spread throughout the region. Each highlights some aspects of Helgeland’s history, cultural heritage or natural history.
These 18 museums, as well as various other worthwhile exhibitions, will give you a deeper understanding of the people who live here, their livelihoods and traditions, and the landscape that surrounds them.
See the museums
Nordvika Old Trading Post, on Dønna
The old trading post at Nordvika is one of the oldest and most intact in all of Nordland County. The museum is beautifully situated between towering mountains on the island of Dønna, just a ferry ride from its nearest town, Sandnessjøen.
Løkta Museum
Be sure to visit Løkta Museum, beautifully located on the west side of the island. Here, you can experience what life was like on a small farm in the old days. The area is open to all and features a picnic area, a fire pit, and a small outhouse.
Falch Old Trading Post, Rødøy
Falch Old Trading is beautifully situated on the Tjongsfjord, and it’s just a short detour from the Coastal Highway, Fv17. This trading post has provided many functions through the years: a fish plant, cod liver oil production, fishnet production, country store, doctor’s offices and pharmacy.
Sømna Bygdetun – An open-air museum
Step into coastal history at Sømna Bygdetun. This local heritage museum brings you close to everyday life on the Helgeland coast in the 1800s, and tells the story of how grain was grown in the north, against the odds.
Arctic Circle Classic Motorcycle museum
Visit a one-of-a-kind museum where vintage motorcycles meet a dramatic northern Norwegian setting. This unique museum combines a passion for two-wheelers with local World War II history, and is located in Storforshei, just north of Mo i Rana.
The Petter Dass Museum
At Alstahaug you will find a museum and a church that highlight centuries of the cultural and architectural history of Northern Norway. Moreover, the area is rich in cultural monuments and is a popular hiking area for both locals and tourists. The Petter Dass Museum and Alstahaug were chosen as Nordland County’s venues to celebrate the dawning of a new millennium.
Grane Museum
Laksforsen nature and cultural gallery tells the history of the Salmon River Vefsna, specifically its use and recreation close to one of Norway’s most fantastic waterfalls. You’ll find the gallery in the lower floor of Laksforsen café, approximately 30 km south of Mosjøen and approximately 8 km north of Trofors in Grane.
The Zahl building and the old sexton´s residence in Nesna
The main facility of the Nesna Museum is the building that once housed the business of the local Zahl family. This large and stately commercial building, which dates from 1907 and has Swiss-style decorations, has been expanded both in width and towards the rear. Nesna is amongst other things known for “Nesnalobben”, and an exhibition in the museum is dedicated to this footwear.
Rana Museum, Stenneset open-air Museum and Bredek Mountain Farm
Rana municipality has a fascinating and varied history, which the exhibitions at MOment, the new museum in Mo i Rana’s town centre, reveals in the form of a multi-sensory experience.In addition, at Stenneset’s open-air museum, you can stroll amongst 20 historic buildings, while the mountain farm at Brenek is a popular hiking destination.
Velfjord Museum
The Brønnøy and Velfjord districts share an ancient history of fishing and farming, as well as a proud indigenous Sámi culture. You can gain many cultural insights by visiting the exhibitions in the old supermarket at Minnetun, as well as in the goahti (reconstructed turf hut) near here.
