Ålesund: Stiftinga Sunnmøre Museum

On our first visit to Ålesund — in 2017 — we climbed the 418 steps to the top of Mt Aksla and then explored the Art Deco architecture that sprung up after much of the town was devastated by a fire in 1904. This time, we decided to head out of town.

A short bus ride took us to the Stiftinga Sunnmøre Museum. Sunnmøre refers to the southernmost traditional district of which Ålesund is the main city. The open air museum pays tribute to the coastal folk culture.

There are some 50+ buildings situated in a delightful setting with a path meandering around a lake and through heavily wooded areas. Unlike the Old Bergen Museum, the buildings here were moved from all around the Sunnmøre region. In addition to the structures, there is a boat collection in the båthallen [boat hall]; a Medieval Museum, which was closed today; and a collection of interesting exhibits in the reception hall. In other words, plenty to keep us occupied for about four hours.

One of the highlights of our visit was a hidden trail that the woman at the ticket counter encouraged us to check out. The trail led to a viewpoint from which we enjoyed spectacular views as we ate a light snack to tide us over until lunch time.

That we arrived before any tour busses did gave us a head start and allowed us to explore the museum without encountering anyone else. Perfect.Read more