Finnmark » Varanger Museum

Vadsø Museum

Vadsø museum-Ruija kvenmuseum is responsible for local- and kven history. The Kvens were Finnish speaking immigrants from Finland and Sweden who settled in Northern Norway during the 1700s and 1800s. The highlight of the exhibition is Tuomainengården or Viinikkagården, which is a Kven town dwelling from the 1850s consisting of a house, stable, sauna, bakery, shop and smithy, all under the same roof.

The museum has several buildings giving evidence of the multicultural region, showing Vadsø as a fishing village, merchant town and agricultural area. At the Vadsø Island, you’ll find the Vadsø Culture Park and the exhibition ”Airships and Boats” on the harbour terminal. It tells about expeditions over the North Pole and the fisheries in the Varanger Fjord.

Vardø Museum

The Vardø Museums were established as a museum of natural history in 1894. Today there are three museums:
- Lushaugen Museum, with exhibitions including the development of old Vardø, expeditions to the Northeast Passage and Nansen’s expedition to the Arctic Ocean and natural history.
- The Pomor Museum displays exhibitions on trade connections with Northern Russia during the 18th, 19th, and early 20th century.
- In Kiberg there is a new Wartime Partisan Museum.

Sør-Varanger Museum

The Borderland Museum (Grenselandmuseet) is the main building of Sør-Varanger Museum. It houses permanent exhibitions on the life in border area, cultural meetings, mining history, Second World War, art exhibits, and temporary exhibitions.

See also our Internet Exhibition: www.pasvikelva.no for information about history and life in the border area, and the local hydropower station.