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
Hattfjelldal Museum
In Hattfjelldal it is Fjellfolkets Hus (House of the mountain people) which is the museums home base. Here you’ll find great exhibitions and disseminations services about the place. In the house there is also a Tourist Information Office, a café, accommodation and place for meetings and events.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Hemnes open-air museum
Hemnes Bygdetun consists of a beautifully situated farm that can be just glimpsed from highway E6. The farm has a 500 year history, so its buildings and collections offer many insights into how our ancestors, both rich and poor, lived.
Bergh-brygga and Gammelskolen in Leirfjord
Leirfjord Museum is located in the old Bergh-brygga at Leland. Also, make sure to visit the beautiful Gammelskolen, which was in operation until the mid-1950s. Welcome to a journey through time!
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.
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.
Grønsvik coastal fortress, Lurøy
If you want to see an unusual attraction and gain insights into World War II history, we recommend a visit to the old German coastal fortress at Grønsvik, which is now a museum. As you walk from the attractive parking lot and picnic area, you enter a dark chapter of European history.
