Kistefos-Museet - History, art, playfulness and picturesque

Experience Kistefos-Museum: industrial museum, art Hall and sculpture park

Kistefos is one of Europe´s most important sculpture parks for contemporary art. Built on the grounds of a historical pulp pill, Kistefos today comprises an industrial museum, two art galleries and an impressive sculpture park in scenic surroundings.
It has a mission to conserve the buildings and industrial heritage of the area whilst also celebrating the best of Norwegian and international contemporary art.

Sculpture Park
Each year the sculpture park is expanded with one or more sculptures. Today it contains 46 sculptures by prominent contemporary artists such as Yayoi Kusama, Claes Oldenburg, Fernando Botero, Tony Cragg, Olafur Eliasson, and Anish Kapoor.
Many of the sculptures are made site-specific and directly inspired by the area, nature, and history of Kistefos.
The works range from the monumental to the unobtrusive, the profound to the playful.
The expression of the sculptures changes with the weather and the season - making a visit to the sculpture park a year-round experience.

Art
Every year, Kistefos presents new art exhibitions by highly recognized national and international artists in our two galleries, The Twist and Nybruket Gallery.

The architectural masterpiece The Twist is both a gallery, a bridge, and a sculpture, all in one. The 1.000 square meters building takes a sculptural form, twisting at the midway point as it crosses the Randselva river to connect the north and south sides - turning the journey through the park into a loop. The Twist is designed by BIG - Bjarke Ingels and is a unique exhibition space with varied light sources and view over the river.

Nybruket Gallery is located in one of the old factory buildings of A/S Kistefos Træsliberi. The factory heritage has been preserved, creating a beautiful framework for art.

Industry

The history of Kistefos started with the old wood pulp mill more than 100 years ago. A/S Kistefos Træsliberi was established by consul Anders Sveaas in 1889, a company that produced wood pulp at the site from 1889 to the mid-1950s. The production at Kistefos stopped in 1955, but the buildings and machines have been set in motion once again, creating a living factory for Kistefos´ visitors.

Kistefos, as we know it today, was established in 1996 by Norwegian businessman and art collector Christen Sveaas, grandson of Anders Sveaas.

The industrial history is a running theme throughout the park and is inextricably linked to Kistefos´ history. The river Randselva runs through the entire area and was in the early days the very foundation for the industry at the site. Today, it materializes as a beautiful and soothing signature.

Contact us to tailor your experience
Kistefos Museum is an outstanding stop during your weekend with friends, colleagues, or perhaps your entire family. We offer activities and experiences that engage and inspire across age groups and fields of interest. We focus on the act of conveying and will happily give you a guided tour tailored to your wishes. Feel free to contact us to get tips and assistance when planning your trip.

Tickets
Tickets can be purchased at the entrances, in one of the ticket machines
Adults 150,-

Children (up to and including 16) Free
Seniors/Students 120,-
Groups 120,-
Season ticket Adult 450,-
Season ticket Senior/Student 350,-

Area ticket outside opening hours/season 90,-

The 2020 season opens May 24 to October 11
with new art exhibitions in both The Twist and Nybruket Gallery, as well as new sculptures.
During the season our industrial museum, museum shop and café will be open as well.

Opening hours during the season:
Tuesday to Sunday: 11 - 17
In July: Monday to Sunday: 11 - 17