SKREI

In Storvågan, Kabelvåg, in the middle of Lofoten, SKREI's new main building has opened. The 5,000 m² building, The Otolith, holds the main exhibition, a space for events and changing exhibitions, a restaurant and café, and a museum shop.

Alongside The Otolith, SKREI also includes the Lofoten Aquarium, the Lofoten Museum, and the Espolin Gallery. Together, the four sites tell the story of Lofoten through experiences and activities for the whole family.

The Otolith

Every year the Northeast Arctic cod — the skrei — migrates from the Barents Sea to the Norwegian coast to spawn. This cycle is the reason the Lofoten fishery exists: one of the largest seasonal fisheries in the world, and a pillar of Norwegian culture, economy, and society for more than a thousand years. The main exhibition brings that history to life with sound, projection, and atmosphere. Follow the skrei through the year, trace the long lines of history, and meet the people who went out to fish and those who stayed home. See how the Lofoten fishery works today, and how the coast can keep living from the sea in the years ahead. The Otolith was designed by LPO architects. The building takes its shape from the fish's ear stone, which records its growth and migration in layers, like the rings of a tree.

Lofoten Aquarium

Come face to face with the fish and sea creatures of the waters around Lofoten — from sea cucumbers to mandolin crabs, and of course the skrei. See an exhibition on cold-water corals, and watch the feeding of the otters and seals, the high point of the day. Café with a view of the sea.

Espolin Gallery

The Lofoten landscape has drawn many artists, but few are held in the regard of Kaare Espolin Johnson (1907–1994). Working in his own distinctive technique, he portrayed the life of the coastal people and illustrated many books, among them The Last Viking. See the collection, and watch a film in which Espolin talks about his own work. Guest exhibitions, art workshops, and a shop with local handicraft.

Lofoten Museum

The history of the Lofoten fishery, told at one of the best-preserved manor estates in the region. Visit the main house from 1815, and see the contrast between the fishermen's simple lives in the original cabins and life on the farm at its height around 1850. Among the collection are traditional wooden boats, built with a technique inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List. The museum sits on the waterfront, with a garden of historic perennials and a shop with locally made goods.

SKREI is located just outside Kabelvåg, a 12-minute drive from Svolvær. Open year round. Experiences and activities for the whole family — ask about our combination tickets.