Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
(
www.museumstavanger.no
)
The large 11-part museum, with its sites scattered around
Stavanger, could easily fill a sightseeing day, but you'd have to keep up a brisk pace to fit
them all in. The first museum you visit costs Nkr60/30 per adult/child, the second costs
Nkr20/10 and the rest are free, provided that you visit all in the same day. The exception
is the Children's Museum, which has separate pricing. The three other museums we don't
cover here are the
Norwegian Printing Museum
, the
Norwegian School Museum
and
the
Medical Museum
.
Stavanger Bymuseum
(Muségata 16; 11am-4pm mid-Jun-mid-Aug, closed Mon rest of yr)
The main mu-
seum reveals nearly 900 years of Stavanger's history, 'From Ancient Landscape to Oil
Town'.FeaturesincludeevidenceofStoneAgehabitation,themedievalbishopric,theher-
ring years and the development of the city into a modern oil capital. The Stavanger of the
1880s is described in a series of tableaux focusing on local author Alexander L Kielland.
Also in the same building is the
Norwegian Natural History Museum (
same hr)
.
Canning Museum
(Hermetikkmuseet; Øvre Strandgate 88-90; 11am-4pm mid-Jun-mid-Aug, closed
Mon rest of yr)
Don't miss this museum; housed in an old cannery, it's one of Stavanger's
mostappealingmuseums.Beforeoil,thereweresardines,andStavangerwasoncehometo
more than half of Norway's canning factor-ies; by 1922 the city's canneries provided 50%
of the town's employment. Here you'll get the lowdown on canning brisling and fish balls.
The exhibits take you through the whole 12-stage process from salting, through to thread-
ing, smoking, decapitating and packing. There are no labels, but there's a handy brochure
available at the entrance and guides are always on hand to answer your questions or crank
up some of the old machines. Upstairs, there's a fascinating display of historical sardine-
canlabels(morethan40,000designswereusedandhavebecomecollectors'items).Anad-
joining building houses a cafe and restored workers cottages furnished in 1920s and 1960s
style. On the first Sunday of every month (and Tuesday and Thursday from mid-June to
mid-August), the fires are lit and you can sample smoked sardines straight from the ovens.
Ledaal
(Eiganesveien 45; 11am-4pm mid-Jun-mid-Aug, 11am-4pm Sun rest of yr)
The
empire-style Ledaal was constructed between 1799 and 1803 for wealthy merchant
shipowner Gabriel Schanche Kielland. Now recently restored, it serves as the local royal
residence and summer home. You'll see the king's 250-year-old four-poster bed, unusual
antique furniture and a pendulum clock from 1680.
Breidablikk
