The manor house network visited Vesterålen -

12 September 2025

A large table is covered with white tablecloth. The chandelier above the table is lit. A woman is standing with her back to the right in the picture, reading from a book. Around the table, many people sit in the sun shining in through the large windows to the right of the picture and listen to the reading

This week, the professional network for manor house museums visited Vesterålen. For the first time, large farms and squire farms in Northern Norway are included in the network, and this was marked by the fact that the network chose to hold its annual gathering with us at Museum Nord. We have many exciting facilities in Lofoten, Vesterålen and Ofoten that are part of the network’s catchment area, but this time it was Vesterålen that ended up in focus.

Vestfold museum presenting their impressive work with children, and their project to recreate the gardens at Larvik Manor

The blue sign telling of Alsvåggårdens historical significance

Eagerly listening to the story of the great renovation done at Alsvåggården in the late 1970-ties

During the visit, we traveled around from Melbo Manor in Hadsel, to Øksnes museum and Alsvåggården in Øksnes and Jennestad Handelsted outside Sortland. In addition, the visit could not leave Vesterålen without a visit to the Hurtigruten Museum, where industrial entrepreneur and king of fortune Christian Frederiksen sat on the VDS board for many, many years.

Gardener and museum consultant Gro takes the group on a tour of the beautiful gardens and Melbo Manor

A visit to the Hurtigruten museum

There were professional replenishments, guided tours and garden walks. Challenges and solutions in everyday museum life were discussed and new professional perspectives were shared.

We want to thank everyone who participated, and look forward to future collaboration on many surfaces!

A beautifull group of collegues from all over the country gathered by the propellar of MS Finnmarken (1956) at the Hurtigruten museum

More news

Lecture tour in Vesterålen

Published 30 September 2026

Liv Helene Willumsen and Gøril Karlsen have been on a lecture tour in Vesterålen

Almost 800 students at research square at SKREI

Published 25 September 2026

On 17-18 September, we arranged Research Square in Otolitten as part of the official opening week of SKREI.

Joint meeting for museums in Nordland at SKREI

Published 22 September 2026

Every year, the boards of the museums in Nordland gather and have a joint meeting. This time, SKREI was the host.