MAIHAUGEN
The open-air museum Maihaugen, provides an insight into life and work in Norway over the past 500 years. The Rural Collection is a typical representation of life in the Gudbrandsdalen valley. With a church, a school building, a refectory, cotter's farms and fisherman's shacks, a complete rural community has been recreated at Maihaugen. The Town illustrates an inland urban community, and features buildings from Lillehammer, intimate backyards and shops, as well as a pharmacy, a hairdresser, a bakery and a post office. A residential area with detached family homes from the 20th century has also been created. In the main building, visitors will find the Old Workshop, an art exhibition with local arts and crafts from Gudbrandsdalen, and the historical exhibition, as well as a museum shop and café.
LILLEHAMMER ART MUSEUM
Lillehammer Art Museum enjoys a central location, and features a vast collection of important works by Norwegian artists. It is considered one of the best of its kind in the country, and was voted Museum of the Year, a few years ago. The museum boasts a permanent collection, comprising paintings and drawings by artists such as J. C. Dahl, Hans Gude, Adolph Tidemand, Erik Werenskiold, Eilif Peterssen, Christian Krohg, Frits Thaulow and Edvard Munch. Works by local Lillehammer painters, for example Kristen Holbø, Thorvald Erichsen and Lars Jorde, are also on display. During the 1994 Olympics, Lillehammer Art Museum served as the main cultural arena. The museum café is a popular meeting point in the heart of the town, and the museum shop offers handmade jewelry, and books on art.
SKIBLADNER - THE WORLD'S OLDEST PADDLE STEAMER
A trip with Skibladner is an experience not to be missed. Norway's largest lake Mjøsa is at its most spectacular, when experienced from the deck of the white swan. Since she was built in 1856, Skibladner has carried passengers, post and goods, to the surrounding towns and villages.
RINGEBU STAVE CHURCH
Ringebu Stave Church was built around 1220, and is one of only 28 remaining stave churches in the country, and one of the largest. In 1980-81, an archaeological excavation was carried out under the stave church, and among the finds, were 900 coins and other artifacts, some of which are on display in the rectory. Ringebu Rectory, houses a unique permanent exhibition of works by the artist Jakob Weidemann. The collection comprises 42 paintings. During the period May-September, temporary art exhibitions featuring a variety of artists, are also available.
FESTIVALS AND EVENTS
The Gudbrandsdalen Valley is the home of Peer Gynt, Henrik Ibsen's world-renowned creation. The open-air stage in the World of Peer Gynt, is ideal for performances of the famous play, which is established as part of the Peer Gynt Festival, in July/August every year. The theatre performance on the banks of lake Gålå, is only one of many exciting events, which visitors can enjoy at this traditional festival.
Gardmillom (from farm to farm), an event involving the heritage farms in Gudbrandsdalen, is held towards the end of July. Among the attractions are cultural experiences such as farm visits, barn pubs, walks and activities suitable for the whole family. As home to two of the country's best-preserved author's residences, once occupied by Nobel Laureates in Literature, Lillehammer is the obvious venue for a literature festival.
The Norwegian Festival of Literature, Sigrid Undset Days, is the largest of its kind, in the Nordic countries. The festival is held in May every year, and focuses on Nordic contemporary literature, and the interaction between literature and society. You can also visit the home of Sigrid Undset, (1882-1949), she created a unique home consisting of old wooden buildings and a beautiful garden, and she called her home "Bjerkebæk".
THE NORWEGIAN ROAD MUSEUM
The Norwegian Automobile and Vehicle Museum in Lillehammer offers experiences for all the family. You should visit the interactive traffic safety center, where machinery, activities and a play-area for children and adults alike, are situated in a large open-air museum, with pleasant walks in the area. Free entry, with a separate activity program for the Autumn and Winter breaks. The museum also organizes exciting and nostalgic experiences during the weekends in Advent, and the chance to do some Christmas shopping in the museum shop.
For the full program, see: www.vegmuseum.no
The Norwegian Road Museum comprises a display of Norwegian auto-history, from a re-built Oldsmobile, called "Oldsfossum" from the early 1900’s, up to the "Troll", the last Norwegian-produced car, from the 1950s. A number of horse-drawn vehicles are also exhibited: sledges, gigs, carioles and carts. One section has been devoted to the history of the railway, and a model railway is on display. The museum's oldest car is a Wartburg from 1889. It has a 3hp, 2 cylinder, air-cooled combustion engine. A steam driven car from 1901, and an electric car from 1917 are also on display. Many of the vehicles are exhibited in a context showing the roads, petrol stations and workshops of the time, along with their use for work and leisure.
AULESTAD - BJØRNSTJERNE BJØRNSONS' HOME
Experience the atmosphere of beautiful Aulestad. The Nobel laureate Bjørnstjerne Bjørnson lived here with his family, from 1875. The home is one of the best preserved artist homes in Norway.
GUDBRANDSDAL WAR MEMORIAL MUSEUM
The War Memorial Exhibition at Kvam provides a unique insight into the Second World War and the occupation and defence in Gudbrandsdalen.
NORWEGIAN POST MUSEUM
"Post on its Way" is an exhibition located in the Postal Museum at Maihaugen. The museum provides an insight into over 360 years of postal history, from the days when each letter was sent by messenger, and right up to today's electronic communication via e-mail and SMS.
www.maihaugen.no/no/Postmuseet
