What to do and see in Bodo, Northern Norway: The Best Museums

The crofter's cottage in Kjelvik. Kjelvik is situated at the top of a hill below a woody ridge and stands testament to the conditions the Nothern Norwegian crofters of Sami decent lived by. Time has more or less stood still here since the last occupant passed away in 1967. Here you can experience an authentic croft through the original tools, furnishings and clothes found in the old buildings. Get hold of the rake handle. Go in the smithy and pick up the blacksmith’s tongs. Go into the small rooms and try to imagine how they managed without running water and electricity.The last occupants were four unmarried siblings. Edvard, Karen, Hans and Anna lived together and worked the farm. They had four cows, sheep, a couple of goats and a horse. They each specialised in different craftwork.From the smallholding there is a 2km long path down to the fjord. This was the old access route from the sea and, prior to the building of the E6, was the only way in to Kjelvik.This area was once a Sami settlement. It started with reindeer herding and then moved on to fishing and farming. We know that people lived here from 1747. The buildings consist of a cottage,a cowshed/barn, a wood-hall, “Patihuset”(a “cookhouse” and smithy), “sjeltersjåg”(shed), a cellar and a mill.Kjelvik is one of 22 nationally selected "Special Cultural Landscapes" because of it's rich variety of plant life and the traditional farming techniques used on the site.Lefse, waffles and other traditional foods are sold at the croft.Coffee is included in the ticket. How do I get there?Follow the E6 56km north of Fauske and 4km south of Kobbelv jnn. From the lay-by there is a good path to the homestead. GPS CoordinatesWGS 84:N 67° 35.550', E 15° 53.045'WGS 84 - desimal:67.59250, 15.88408 OpenJune 15th to August 17th 2014. Wedmesday to Sunday 11.00 a.m - 5 p.m.Rest of the year on request. Ticket pricesAdult kr.50,-Groups (min 10 pers) kr.30,-Child/student kr.10,-

The bunker was built in 1943 and was a signal station for the German Air Force. It it Bodø's largest cocrete bunker with its 2 to 2,5 meter thick walls and ceilings. Thousands of hours of restoration have made it a museum and meeting place which focuses on Luftwaffe and German communications. Guided tours can be ordered.

The museum shows the war history from Bodø and Salten with several theme exhibitions and we have a separate department that deals with the war sailors. The museum building is from the war and was a so-called "Flugleitung" which included, among other things, a fire station, meteorological office and other operational tasks in connection with the German airport.

Experience the thrilling history of aviation up close. Did you know that aviation played a major role in shaping Norway as a nation; it has influenced our people, our landscape and our way of life. See famous and even some infamous planes, including the Spitfire, Starfighter or faithful work horses and passenger aircraft, including the Ju52 and the Twin Otter. The Norwegian Aviation Museum is among the largest aviation museums in Europe. Our collections include more than 40 aircraft and helicopters.

A visit to northern Norway`s best preserved trading post is a journey back in time. Here you can feel the past, with "jektefart" and fish trading, Herring and the daily life in northern Norway coastal communities in the 19 century. Kjerringoy Trading Post is a unique example of coastal heritage set in magnificent scenery. It consists of 15 old buildings retaining many of their original contents. It is one of the country's most important collections of buildings from the nineteenth century. The beautiful slide-show "Anna Elisabeth of Kjerringoy" provides an excellent introduction to a visit. It lasts about 20 minutes. Guided tours are then available around the various yards and buildings. You can shop in the store ("Kramboden") or enjoy refreshments in Nyfjosen Cafe or in the garden. In the museumshop in Nyfjosen you can buy gifts and souvernirs, local design and crafts.

This gallery display northern Norway’s largest private collection of art and artefacts. The ethno-graphic collection consists of several thousand items, primarily old tools and domestic utensils spanning Nordland history from the Stone Age right up to our recent past. This is organized into exhibitions on fishing, hunting and trapping, handicrafts, home crafts and agriculture. There is also an exhibition on World War II, with a particular emphasis on the Russian prisoner-of-war camp that was located at Bodogaard. The permanent collection comprises over 150 icons from Russia, Poland and Greece, as wall as a unique Russian gospel from 1791 that used to belong the Czar family. Also part of the collection are several hundred works by artists from the Arctic region. In addition, Gallery Bodogaard displays temporary exhibitions, and offers fine art and crafts for sale. The facilities are also used for concerts and other cultural events. Meals and refreshments on request. Opening times: Sundays 12 noon to 4 pm all year round. Opening times for special exhibitions and events will be announced. Beyond this, visits and guided tours can be arranged on request.

The Jekt Trade Museum in Bodø is a maritime and cultural historic museum. The preserved authentic vessel Jekt Anna Karoline is the centre of the exhibition. The history of Jekt Trade includes the history of trade, cultural contact, fisheries and sailing in Northern Norway. The museum includes an outdoor museum and is situated in a stunning coastal landscape in Bodøsjøen. The museum restaurant Vengen Skafferi offers tastes of history in a new nordic style. Local produce, fish and traditional recipes inspire the menu. In our museum shop, you can find travel memories and specially made gifts based on northern Norwegian crafts and history.

Bodo cathedral was completed in 1956. A 12 metre stained glass window, 10 tapestries from Nordland, and a rose window decorate the beautiful interior. The cathedral is built as a basilica in the Gothic style. It was designed by the architects Blakstad & Munthe Kaas and was one of the first churches in Norway to have a detached steeple. Free admission.

The Bodo Art Society has two floors at its disposal for changing exhibitions. The Art Society has a permanent collection of works from 1870 up to the present. There is also a small gift shop that sells post cards, crafts, glass, jewellery and prints.

Bodø city museum, dating from 1903, is among the oldest surviving buildings in the centre of Bodø. Bodø city museum On the surface, Bodø appears to be a young town with a short history. But in reality it has a rich past. Before the Second World War Bodø was a busy little coastal town with canneries, steamship wharf, shops, offices and everything you expect to find in a town. The town boundary was just two streets behind the museum. About one thousand years ago a large hoard of silver was hidden in a rocky slope not far from the centre of Bodø. The treasure was discovered in 1919 and contained the largest ring brooch known from the Viking Age and Iron Age. The silver treasure is now available for the public in a new display. The first floor in the museum is newly rebuilt and contains changing exhibitions throughout the year.