Ristning-Tjaalege, Vevelstad museum and bygdetun

The new museum in Vevelstad officially opened on April 14, 2024, and was designed by Atelier Oslo. The new building is located along the Coastal Highway, an important route for tourism in Helgeland.

The entire building comprises 90 m² of exhibition space and 25 m² of café area with facilities, and eventually, a museum shop. The building also allows for smaller events, such as lectures or concerts.

The museum features brand new exhibitions in collaboration with Expology experience group AS. Visitors will be able to learn a lot about the local natural and cultural history of Southern Helgeland.

The museum’s themes focus on rock art such as petroglyphs, runes, and cave paintings. Visitors will be able to touch local stones and actively use them, for example, to create their own rock art. You can paint your own cave paintings and learn more about the authentic ones. The museum includes exhibitions on geology, archaeology, history, literature, and art.

In the fields of archaeology and history from this region, visitors can delve into the Norwegian Iron Age and discover new research on local topics. Older ritual sites, burial customs from the Iron Age, and reconstructions of ancient longhouses confirm that this has been an active region for over 1000 years.

The museum also focuses on Norse poetry from Helgeland, with a particular emphasis on a well-known skald from Sandnessjøen, Øyvind Skaldespille. The poems have been dramatized by professional actor Sven Henriksen and can be heard in the exhibition. Visitors can also explore art inspired by Helgeland!

Vevelstad bygdetun
The heritage site has a museum garden with informational signs that tell about the plants and their history. In the children’s barn, the youngest visitors can take care of the animals, and even though the animals are made of wood, it is a popular experience for both children and adults.