Archaeological Museum
The Museum follows a profile of environmental archaeology and interdisciplinary study, with a scientific staff that includes representatives from archaeology, the natural sciences and modern cultural history. Thematic exhibitions. Antiquities exhibitions. Activities for children. Film shows. CD-ROM games. Café serving lunch. Library. Gift shop. Set aside a day to explore exhibits showing prehistoric and historic trends in culture and nature, as well as their relevance to our own times.
The Archaeological Museum in Stavanger displays a wide range of artifacts covering 15.000 years of history including the Viking Age. Exhibits include skeletons, tools, a runestone and providing visitors with the opportunity to observe the relationship between culture and nature. Antiquities are organised thematically and the various permanent models and exhibitions are supplemented by open archives and reference books available to the public. The museum also presents three to five separate thematic content exhibitions per year on current topics of debate.
Visitors can learn how people have made a living in Rogaland since the first migrants came ashore the western coasts 11,500 years ago. Other disciplines are conservation of archaeological and recent objects; painting conservation; laboratories doing – pollen, macro fossil and wood analysis; and various scientific archives. The Museum has a collection of archaeological and natural history objects from the county of Rogaland.
The Museum has a photograph unit, a comprehensive Library and expertise in exhibition design, graphic design, schools services and public involvement. There's also a full programme of activities for kids (eg treasure hunts) in summer and it's making a welcome move to more interactive exhibits. There is a Museum Shop, a well-equipped Café and an Auditorium seating 120.
The Avaldsnes Project
The Avaldsnes Project is run by the municipality of Karmøy in close co-operation with the Archaeological Museum in Stavanger, the Maritime Museum in Stavanger and Rogaland County Council. Its main aims are to preserve Avaldsnes with its monuments and archaeological remains for the future and undertake new research and convey the results to the public.
The reconstructed Viking Farm
The Viking Farm is situated ten minutes walk from the Medieval church. The farm is surrounded by woodland which keeps the modern world out of sight. The development of the farm is done in co-operation with the Archaeological Museum of Stavanger as a part of an experimental archaeological research programme.
The farm consists of a longhouse, two pit houses, a roundhouse, a feast hall, a boathouse and a service building. The farm also consist of a herb garden, a tar pit, a reconstructed Viking boat and a quay. The Viking farm is used as a site for a “Living History Project” where the kids through role-play and craftwork can experience work, art and culture of the Viking times. The site is also open for tourists during summer season. Each year in June the Viking Farm is the site of an international Viking Festival.
Since 1996 a Viking Age longhouse can be seen on Bukkøy at Avaldsnes. The house is a reconstruction based on the results from a excavation in the thirties, at the farm Oma in the Time municipality in Rogland.
The Museum has been specially adapted to allow children to find out more about prehistory through games. There are treasure hunts among the antiquities and many other activities for children of different ages at the Museum.
There is also a smaller house at the farm which on the outside is a reconstruction from a house in Ytre Moa in Sogn. Sheeps in open pasture are grazing freely in the area. There are also other animals at the farm during the summer season.
Opening hours
The Museum is open to the public all days except Mondays. Tuesday: 11.00-20.00, Wednesday-Saturday: 11.00-15.00, Sunday: 11.00-16.00. During Summer - June - 1 September, all days except Mondays. Tuesday-Sunday 11.00-17.00.
Entrance fees
Kr 50 for adults; children under 16, students and senior citizens kr 20, family kr 100.
The Museum of Archaeology
Peder Klows gate 10 A
4010 Stavanger
Tel.: +47 51 83 26 00
Email: post-am@uis.no
Internet: http://am.uis.no
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