The Runde treasure

The Runde Environmental Centre exhibition is open daily throughout the summer season, and at announced arrangments. Groups (min. 20 people) can book visits throughout the year.

The bird exhibition:

This part of the exhibition shows the interaction in nature, between birds, fish and ocean currents. The exhibition is tailored for Runde Environmental Centre visitors, and even includes a model of a bird cliff. In addition to representative bird cliff species, visitos will be able to see an otter, a seal and the prepared skeletton of a Risso`s dolphion which drifted ashore at Runde dureing the spring of 2013.

The Runde treasure - Norway’s largest coin discovery:

For nearly 40 years, the historical culture material and a large part of the coins from the treasure discovery at Runde have been stored at the Bergen Sjøfartsmuseum (Maritime Museum). The 6th of January 2011, the treasure was transported back to Runde!

The coins and other objects from the Runde treasure are important elements, in addition to a model of the ship Akerendam, built by Robert Pareliussen.

The history:

On the 19th of January 1725, the ship Akerendam set out from the island Texel in the Netherlands, accompanied by two sister ships. The cargo was 19 chests of gold and silver coins, and the target was Batavia. During a storm in the North Sea, the Akerendam is lost from the group and is wrecked at the northern peak of the island Runde. Akerendam belonged to the Dutch company Vereinigte Oostindische Compagnie, which was operating a large scale trade industry with the East. From the East, the boats returned with spices and other sought after goods sold all thoughout Europe. Akerendam was built in 1724 and was 145 feet long, with a crew of 200 men.

In the morning on the 8th of March 1725, the inhabitants of the farm Goksøyr at Runde find wreck parts washed ashore the beach from the storm. Accidentally, an assembly is held nearby, and the county governor Erik Must gets the message of the discovery. He sends his representatives to Runde to investigate the area. The following days and weeks, both lost people and wreck parts were found in a large area. 19th of March, a public auction, following the laws and terms of the time, was held of the wreck goods, among others barrel sticks, canvas, iron bands and one or several 50-litre barrels of French wine. All the approximately 200 people on board the Akerendam lost their lives in the shipwreck.

The treasure was discovered on the 6th of July 1972 by the three sports divers Bengt-Olof Gustafsson, Stefan Persson and Eystein Krohn-Dale. They found nearly 57 000 coins, whereof 6624 golden coins and the remaining in silver. The year after, the location was examined by Bergen Sjøfartsmuseum (Maritime Museum). More than 400 different coin types were found.

The Silver of the Sea:
Visitors will also be able to watch the spectacular documentary film The Silver of the Sea, which takes you on an exciting journey into the ocean right outside the centre, as well as up to the bird cliffs. This film fascinates viewers of all ages.