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The Hallandsgården open-air museum

On Galgberget in central Halmstad, there is the Hallandsgården open-air museum, a green oasis and a must-visit attraction for anyone who wants to experience life as it once was.

It has old buildings from all parts of Halland. Amongst the exhibits are an open-ceiling cabin from Hörsås, a windmill from Morup, a school from Eldsberga and the splendid Krafsagården farmstead. You can even visit this latter’s stable. Explore yesterday’s lifestyles on your own or, in the summer, with one of our knowledgeable guides. Various useful plants (e.g. Portland roses, herbs and hops) grow by the buildings.

With a glorious summer café, a popular play area, a small exhibition venue and child-friendly, historical settings with a number of animals, this makes a perfect outing for the family when the holiday season is here. Summer also offers a rich programme that includes, for example, guided tours and handicrafts workshops on various themes.

The man behind the museum initiative was Alfred W. Wallberg, who was inspired by the Skansen open-air museum (which showcases the whole of Sweden). In 1922, the city council assigned the open-air museum the lease of the area that had previously formed the so-called Risbergska Plantation. The Hallandsgården open-air museum was ceremoniously opened here on Midsummer Eve 1925.

Take refreshments under the old birch trees

Ekoteket has its summer café at Hallandsgården. Beneath the old birch trees, you can enjoy a fantastic view across Halmstad and the Laholmsbukten bay. The café has been serving waffles with conserves and cream for over 90 years. Vegetarian soup of the day, waffles with “prawn mayonnaise”, sourdough sandwiches, buns and ice-cream cones are now also on the menu. All made from ecological and, primarily, local produce of course!

Opening times and entry

The area is open all year round. Its buildings are open during the day in the summer. Several programme activities are also held at this time. Certain events excluded, entry is free.

The various buildings at Hallandsgården

The open-ceiling cabin from Hörsås in the parish of Getinge is a so-called “south Götaland” building from the start of the 18th century. Used when making spirits for household needs, the brewhouse is from the same farm as the open-ceiling cabin. Influenced by military edifices, the main building from the Krafsagården farmstead in Olofstorp in the parish of Valinge is representative of a style even earlier than that of the Hörsås cabin. The farmstead’s outbuildings had already been demolished when the farm was bought. Those that can be seen here now were built from timber from an old outbuilding in Haverdal in the parish of Harplinge.

The “granny cottage” from Drängsered is a timber, open-ceiling cabin and originally comprised just one room. On being moved to the open-air museum, it was rebuilt to serve as a building for the site’s manager. The summer cottage from Stora Slätthult in the parish of Krogsered is an unheated cabin that provided farmstead accommodation in the summer while also serving as a cellar. It is a timber construction.

The water-powered sawmill from Lillån in Nedre Möllan in the parish of Vessige was erected by mill owner Nils Larsson at the start of the 1830s. Moved originally to the park at Ekebo, the small watermill from Göstorp in the parish of Veinge was transferred to Hallandsgården in 1925. The windmill from Kvarnagård in the parish of Morup is an octagonal, Dutch mill.

Hallandsgården has two flax-drying huts. The one from Sunvära in the parish of Värö is a post-and-plank construction, two of the outside walls having cover boarding. From Alabo in the parish of Torup, the second flax-drying hut is a simple timber construction.

The school from Fladje gård in the parish of Eldsberga was built in 1843 on the passing of the “elementary schooling act”.

Hallandsgården’s buildings were erected here between the 1920s and the 1940s.

Halland Art Museum is behind the running of the Hallandsgården open-air museum and the programme activities held there.

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