The Hanseatic Museum and Schøtstuene - Museum Vest

About

Gain an insight into how the Hanseatic merchants lived, worked and made their mark on Bergen over 400 years. Visit the Hanseatic Museum and Schøtstuene – a UNESCO World Heritage site – to find out about this important period in the city’s history and the stories of some of the people who lived here.

There is much more to Bryggen than colourful, old wooden houses and being a popular tourist spot. The UNESCO World Heritage Site Bryggen is in fact a true cultural treasure, wholly unique in a global context. Nowhere else in the world can boast even one wooden house dating back to the Hanseatic period, yet the ‘City of Seven Mountains’ has managed to preserve a whole district, comprising consisting of no fewer than 62 buildings.

Now we’re giving you the opportunity to experience the Hanseatic world right across the Bryggen area. Guided tours and new exhibitions allow you to explore all aspects of the lives of the Hanseatic merchants – from their unique trading network to everyday life in Bergen. A visit to our sites will give you a sense of how life played out during this important period starting in the 14th century.

Tickets (included a guided tour)

It’s up to you whether you start your Hanseatic experience at Midthuset or in Schøtstuene, the merchants’ former assembly rooms. Entry tickets are available at both venues and include a guided tour starting from Midthuset. Tickets also provide free admission to the Norwegian Fisheries Museum in Sandviken.

Midthuset and guided tours of Bryggen

The iconic Midthuset in the heart of Bryggen is the perfect place to start your museum odyssey. Here you can buy tickets, get a flavour of the story of the Hanseatic merchants and join our guided tours.
The tours take you back in time, through the narrow passages of the UNESCO World Heritage site, finishing at the exhibition space in Schøtstuene, the world’s last remaining Hanseatic assembly rooms.

There are several tours daily in the summer period until 30 September. Tours start from Midthuset and last around 30 minutes.

08.05-14.06: English, Norwegian – German, French and Spanish announced daily

15.06-15.08: English, Norwegian, German, French and Spanish

16.08-30.09: English, Norwegian – German, French and Spanish announced daily

Schøtstuene – the assembly rooms of the Hanseatic merchants

Fires and candles were not allowed in the buildings where the merchants worked because of the risk of fire. This is why each of the buildings at Bryggen had a schøtstue or shared assembly room, each with an adjoining cookhouse (kitchen). The former Hanseatic assembly rooms at Bryggen are the last surviving example of their kind anywhere in the world.

Hidden under one of the assembly rooms you’ll find what is perhaps Bergen’s best-kept secret: a unique medieval ruin. Dating from around 1280, the ruin has been put on display beneath a glass floor and is the subject of a special exhibition.

Follow the work to restore the museum’s largest artefact – the museum building in Finnegården

The exhibitions at Schøtstuene provide an insight into both the Bryggen World Heritage site and the Hanseatic League. We further invite you to follow the work to restore the museum’s largest artefact – the museum building at Finnegården 1A. The building is 315 years old and once served as the merchants’ trading hall. Severe subsidence damage means the bulwark needs to be replaced and made secure for the future. This is a lengthy process, estimated to take until 2024, as the work is being carried out using old craft traditions. You can gain an insight into this fascinating work thanks to one of our new exhibitions at Schøtstuene.

Introducing the Hanseatic merchants

The German merchants first sailed into Vågen bay in the 14th century, and their presence was to have a far-reaching impact on the city. The extensive Hansa network extended across many countries and made Bergen one of the largest cities in Northern Europe during this period. Their trading activities meant the Hanseatic merchants were instrumental in shaping the economic, political and cultural development of the Nordic countries and large parts of Europe over several centuries.

UNESCO World Heritage

Bergen was the last outpost of the influential Hanseatic merchants. Bryggen was included in UNESCO’s World Heritage List in 1979, and now stands as a vibrant monument to a bygone trading culture.

ONLINE BOOKING:

Your email confirmation is your ticket and must be shown at the entrance. You can bring a printed copy or show the e-mail confirmation on your  mobile device.

Cancellation policy:
No refund in case of cancellation, but we can change the date on your ticket if necessary. Your email confirmation is your ticket. Bring a printed copy or show it on your mobile device.