Explore the cultural heritage of Telemark

Experience the cultural treasures of Telemark. Telemark's culture offers so much, ranging from the Rjukan-Notodden Industrial Heritage, which is on the UNESCO's World Heritage List, to bunads (traditional Norwegian costumes) and rosemalte (rose-painted) stabbur (storehouses), to cultural houses, art exhibitions, and Norway's largest marketplace, Dyrsku'n in Seljord.

Get to know the spectacular history of Rjukan – Notodden Industrial Heritage, which today is part of UNESCO's World Heritage List. Visit the Porcelain Museum in Porsgrunn, where tradition blends with digital technology and dialogue. Experience Dyrsku'n in Seljord, three full days in September filled with authentic cultural experiences. Explore museums and galleries that provide insight into everything from world-class industrial history to stave churches and the region's unique maritime traditions, as well as culinary experiences, Munch walks, and much more.

In our events calendar, you'll find an overview of local events to fill your vacation with! Join us on an exciting cultural journey in Telemark!

In Norway, you can find many cultural sights: new culture and old culture, rural culture and urban culture, cultural heritage and contemporary culture. Telemark has something to offer for everyone and provides many exciting cultural attractions all year round. Here are some tips.

Norwegian Cultural Heritage

The industrial heritage of Rjukan and Notodden has earned a place on UNESCO's World Heritage List. It was actually here that Norway's industrial adventure, like no other, began! Sam Eyde invented an artificial fertilizer and started an industrial venture that saved the world's food production. This led to explosive industrial development. Explore the history, including the sabotage actions during World War II, at places like the World Heritage Centre in Notodden and the Norwegian Industrial Workers Museum Vemork in Rjukan. In both cities, you can step back in time and witness the development with your own eyes, from Sam Eyde's vision and power plants to the industrial adventure, the battle for heavy water, and the global transport line. Additionally, Vinje municipality, where lake Møsvatn played a significant role in power production, is part of the World Heritage.

Art history

Edvard Munch is perhaps Norway's most famous painter. You can follow in "Munch's footsteps" through the streets of Kragerø, including to Skrubben, where Munch painted the Sun. The years Munch spent in Kragerø would prove to be some of his most productive, as the environment and light had a significant impact on his health. During the summer, you can also book a guided Munch walk.

Cultural experiences in Grenland

Porsgrunn's Porcelain Museum welcomes you to a unique porcelain experience. The museum is interactive and located next to Porsgrunds Porselænsfabrik (Porcelain Factory). Here, you enter a world of craftsmanship and history, decoration, and models, where tradition combines with digital technology and dialogue. Perhaps you'll hear new stories about the porcelain you have in your cupboard! The museum offers design products by local artists, as well as changing exhibitions and events throughout the year. Along the river promenade, Kulturhuset Ælvespeilet (Ælvespeilet Cultural Center) reflects in the river, an inclusive cultural center characterized by local diversity and cultural breadth.

Henrik Ibsen is Skien's great son. The only authentic urban environment from his time can be found at Snipetorp. However, many traces of him can be found throughout the city, and his childhood home, the Venstøp farm, still stands today. The Henrik Ibsen Museum is open to the public during the summer months. Take a tour and see how he and his family lived, and visit Mørkeloftet (the Dark Attic), which may have inspired the attic in Ibsen's play "The Wild Duck."

In Skien, you'll find Telemark Museum with Søndre Brekke Manor, located at the entrance of Brekkeparken (Brekke Park). The manor once housed the 1814 minister Niels Aall, and the story of Den grå dame (The Grey Lady) dates back to Aall's time. The park is well-known for its floral beauty (spring and summer) and courtyard with old farmhouses. Some of the old houses showcase exquisite examples of Telemark's long tradition of rose painting.

Cultural experiences in the mountains

Rauland is home to Raulandsakademiet (Rauland Academy), which preserves folk culture and offers courses and welcomes students year-round. Here, you can learn timber framing, wood carving, rosemaling, bunad embroidery, and much more. The Hardangervidda National Park Center presents a modern, interactive, and award-winning exhibition about nature and reindeer. The four authors Aasmund Olavsson Vinje, Aslaug Vaa, Tarjei Vesaas, and Halldis Moren Vesaas are all from Telemark, and at Vinjesenteret (Vinje Center), you can get to know these four poets better.

Cultural heritage and traditions in Vest-Telemark

Vest-Telemark Museum Eidsborg is a great starting point to experience Vest-Telemark's rich cultural heritage and traditions. The museum showcases many fine examples of local handicrafts and the county's long tradition of rose painting. The world's oldest wooden building, Stålekleivloftet from 1167, can also be seen here. At the heart of the courtyard is a 105-meter-long water-filled model of the Telemark Canal, complete with locks and copies of historical boats. Eidsborg Stave Church from the 1200s is one of the best-preserved stave churches in Norway. The church is located right next to the Vest-Telemark Museum.

Heddal Stave Church is the largest stave church in Norway and takes you back to the Middle Ages, all the way to the 1200s. Experience impressive artwork, fascinating stories, and magnificent exhibition spaces at the Telemark Art Museum in Notodden. The museum features contemporary art and national artistic treasures of high quality. Vemork - Norwegian Industrial Workers Museum tells the story of what was once the world's largest power station, the industrial adventure, the heroes, and the everyday workers, and is now listed on the UNESCO's World Heritage List as part of the Rjukan-Notodden Industrial Heritage. And remember to visit the Tungtvannkjelleren (Heavy Water Basement) – the place that changed the world.

Accommodation for culture enthusiasts in Telemark

Whether you choose a hotel vacation, camping trip, or hostel stay, Telemark offers one of the best accommodation options in Norway. The newly renovated Thon Hotel in Skien is a historic and venerable hotel with a great location close to both the Telemark Canal and the Brekke Park. Stay at Hotel Vic in Porsgrunn and visit Porsgrunds Porselænsfabrik's factory outlet. The award-winning fairytale hotel Dalen Hotel is worth a visit in itself. In the World Heritage town of Rjukan, we recommend staying at Rjukan Admini or Gaustablikk Fjellresort. Explore more accommodations in Telemark.