Midt-Telemark Museum Association
Join Us on a Journey Back in Time
Midt-Telemark Museum Association is a collaboration between various cultural organizations in Midt-Telemark.
The museum aims to share knowledge about cultural heritage and traditions. It achieves this through agreements with its member organizations, which include Bø Museum, Bø Prestegaard, Evju Bygdetun, Hørte Dampfarveris Venner, and Sauherad Historielag.
Explore Rose Painting and Traditions at Evju Bygdetun
Evju Bygdetun is a charming heritage farm with 20 historic buildings, located in a beautiful cultural landscape that stretches all the way down to the river—complete with its own guest jetty. The farm is still in active use, with an organic food garden and animals grazing freely.
Step into a world of Norwegian folk art, where you’ll find rosemaling (decorative painting), traditional costumes, handicrafts, and artisan skills on display. Guided tours are available of both the exhibitions and the historic farm buildings.
The Eldhuskafé serves up homemade, seasonal dishes made with local ingredients from Fruktbygda. Be sure to visit during the Great Porridge Day in July—featuring no less than seven kinds of porridge and even “porridge tapas.” Yes, that’s a thing—and yes, it’s delicious.
There’s a playground in the courtyard, and kids can help care for the farm’s chickens and rabbits.
Evju Bygdetun is open to groups year-round for guided tours, cultural experiences, and catering—and the venue is also available for weddings and other private celebrations.
The Grøne Gangar hiking trail starts in Gvarv and winds along the river to Tangen below Evju. Along the way, you’ll find a picnic area and a shelter in the magical Eventyrskogen (“Fairy Tale Forest”). The trail continues right through Bygdetunet, which is always open, with toilets and a spacious parking area.
For more information, please contact Evju Bygdetun:
Opening Hours: June 29 – July 27: open daily from 12 PM to 5 PM (Closed Saturday, July 5 due to a wedding)
Address: Sætrevegen 44, 3810 Gvarv
Website: www.evjubygdetun.no
E-mail: post@evjubygdetun.no
Tel: +47 93 20 93 55
Discover Folk Music and Telemark Culture at Bø Museum
Welcome to Bø Museum at Oterholt, 2 km from the center of Bø. Here you will find both folk music and Telemark culture, and the sound of the Hardanger fiddle is often heard both indoors and outdoors. Oterholt was the first village center in Bø, and Åheim General Store from 1898 is one of the buildings on the site.
Kvennøya, located in the Bø River, is part of the museum area at Oterholt and is a lovely outdoor recreational area used all year round by both young and old.
Our permanent exhibitions present Hardanger fiddles, a fiddle maker's workshop, folk costumes, crafts, and more. In addition, a new summer exhibition is shown every year. Bø Museum is open in July, otherwise by appointment.
A day at Bø Museum offers both nature and cultural experiences.
Visit Bø Museum’s digital collections or website for more information:
Address: Oterholtvegen 148, 3802 Bø i Telemark
Website: www.bomuseum.no
Collections: www.digitaltmuseum.no
E-mail: post@bomuseum.no
Tel: + 47 476 18 312
Bø Prestegaard
For many centuries, Bø Prestegaard was the holmen vicarage in Bø. This period is now over. It can be seen as the capstone of a process that began around 1900, when the priest no longer ran the farm.
A few years later, the land and forest properties were sold off, and the farmhouse was demolished. All that remained was the old yard with the main building, storehouse and garden. But what would happen to the old vicarage buildings and yard when the priest moved out?
In addition to history, Bø Prestegaard has summer exhibitions.
For more information, please contact Bø Prestegaard:
Address: Prestevegen 4, 3802 Bø i Telemark
Website: www.boprestegard.no
E-mail: post@boprestegard.no
Explore the History of Hørte Dampfarveri
Hørte Dampfarveri, built in 1878 by Christen Andersson Hørte, is a unique historical site. The building showcases a construction technique typical for outbuildings of that era, with half-timbering filled with wooden logs laid in clay. A section of the wall in the north-west room has been opened to display the building's construction method.
Hørte Dampfarveri - Egil and Annie Reitan's Foundation
The foundation aims to "own and protect Hørte Dampfarveri by preserving the building and safeguarding the memories of the dyeing operation, as well as other historical memories of Hørte Dampfarveri, and to run a versatile cultural activity in the local community."
For more information, please contact Hørte Dampfarveri:
Address: Verksvegen 64, 3811 Bø i Telemark
Website: www.horte-dampfarveri.net
