Maihaugen

Open-air museum Lillehammer, Innlandet, Norway

What to expect

Maihaugen is one of Northern Europe's largest open-air museums, showcasing over 200 historic buildings that provide a unique insight into Norway's past. The museum features authentic environments, traditional crafts, exciting exhibitions, and live presentations with actors in period costumes. Visitors can explore the Rural Collection, Historic Town, and Residential Area, which showcase how people lived in the Gudbrandsdalen region from the Middle Ages to the present day. The museum also includes a large photography archive, an indoor museum, and a concert hall. One of the main attractions is the Garmo Stave Church, which was disassembled and rebuilt at Maihaugen in the 1920s. With its rich collection of artifacts, furniture, tools, and ornaments, Maihaugen offers a fascinating experience for families to learn about Norway's history and culture

Plan your family visit to the Maihaugen with these blog insights 👇

Lillehammer Norway – Insider tips and unusual activities in Lillehammer with children

This family's experience:

Activities: We visited Maihaugen, the open-air museum. We went both in winter and summer. We enjoyed the 200 historical buildings, the exhibitions, and the restaurants. We checked the event calendar for special events. We also found out that we could enter through a side entrance for free outside of regular opening hours

Highlights: The Mittsommerfest in the summer and the Christmas market in the winter. We loved exploring the museum and seeing the historical buildings ✨

Maihaugen: Norway's most beautiful open-air museum

This family's experience:

Activities: We spent almost a whole day in Maihaugen. "We start with the grand exhibition "How we won the land". Then we plunged into the actual open-air museum. "We also see many beautiful wood carvings, very pretty cabinets, chests and doors."

Highlights: The kids enjoyed making their own discoveries. We could "immerse [ourselves] in the Norway of past centuries and decades." The exhibition "How we won the land" was a highlight. Even though the houses in the contemporary area were closed, we saw the toys of the 90s, and things that are typically Norwegian ✨