Here you will find an overview of offers for children and young people at the Coastal Express Museum.
We offer separate programs throughout the year for schools and kindergartens. In addition, we have several events throughout the year that are aimed especially at children and young people. These can be found in our event calendar.
The introduction and facilitator for the middle school level
Crew and passengers photographed at night upon arrival in Hammerfest during the first Hurtigruten voyage in the summer of 1893
Category: Cultural heritage
Level: Middle school (Grades 5–7)
Duration: Approximately one school hour
Location: The cargo hold on board MS Finnmarken
Time of year: September each year
Registration deadline: By the end of August
In 1893, the bell was rung aboard DS Vesteraalen in Trondheim to mark the departure of the very first northbound Hurtigruten voyage. It was midsummer, meaning there would be daylight—thanks to the midnight sun—almost the entire journey north.
The ship was to sail north to Hammerfest without stopping for the night, and then complete the same journey southbound again—once more without seeking harbor overnight.
In midsummer in Northern Norway, this may not have seemed particularly dramatic. However, the agreement with the authorities clearly stated that this practice would continue throughout the winter.
The Hurtigruten service was to operate around the clock, throughout the winter, and all year round.
To make this possible, Richard With, in collaboration with several pilots—including Anders Holte from Harstad—carried out thorough preparations.
Program
Students meet at the reception inside the Hurtigruten Museum.
A short introduction is given, and students hang up their outerwear.
We then move into the museum, where the students enter the cargo hold aboard MS Finnmarken.
They are introduced to the early history of Hurtigruten, with the ambitious plan of night sailing by Vesteraalens Dampskibsselskab at the center.
How was this possible? What is a sailing route description? What does a pilot do, and why are they so important on board?
We demonstrate the principles behind the cryptic notes found in pilot logs, discuss the rapid development of lighthouses, navigation markers, and lights along the coast, and reflect on how different it must have been to navigate a Hurtigruten ship along the Norwegian coastline in harsh winter conditions 130 years ago—compared to today.
The Coastal Express Museum for young children
Category: Cultural heritage
Level: 1st grade (can also be adapted for preschool starters)
Duration: 1.5 hours
Location: The Hurtigruten Museum
Time of year: March each year
Registration deadline: By the end of February
Program
Students meet at the reception inside the Hurtigruten Museum.
A short introduction is given, and the students hang up their outerwear.
We walk together upstairs, where the students enter the lounges of the steamship Finnmarken. Here, we take a moment to wonder what it was like to travel with Hurtigruten over 100 years ago.
We then continue into the iconic MS Finnmarken from 1956. We start with a brief introduction to the rules on board.
The children visit the mail cabin, where we talk about why the ship has its own post office. Have any of the children ever sent or received a letter?
Afterwards, we take a look inside the sick bay. Imagine that the ship had its own room for when passengers or crew became ill. We then head up to the forward deck, where we can look down into the cargo hatch and see the mailbags from the mail cabin. On deck, we also find the brig.
Back inside the ship, we go up the stairs to visit the radio room. Here, there are many machines making sounds—these were used to communicate with land and other ships.
Finally, we end the guided tour in the wheelhouse, where the children get to hold the wheel and steer the ship.
After the tour, we leave the ship and head down to the area beneath the stern. Here, the children take part in a creative workshop with a Hurtigruten theme.
The Home Sailors – for lower secondary school
German soldiers waiting to board the Hurtigruten ship DS Finnmarken. Photographer unknown
Category: Cultural heritage
Level: Lower secondary school (Grades 8–10)
Duration: Approximately one school hour
Location: The cargo hold and the area beneath the bow
Time of year: April each year
Registration deadline: End of March
Program
During the German occupation of Norway in 1940, the coastal route suddenly became an extremely dangerous workplace for the many seafarers who spent their daily lives at sea.
Both the occupying forces and the Allies posed a threat to civilian shipping. Mail and cargo still had to be delivered—even during wartime—but the cost was high. A total of 17 Hurtigruten ships were sunk during World War II.
We take the students on a journey through Hurtigruten’s history during the war. We talk about courage, danger, death, and despair.
We explore how the occupying forces used Allied attacks on Hurtigruten ships as propaganda, discuss espionage on board, and reflect on the difficult aftermath.