Information for tour operators
About Maihaugen
Maihaugen in Lillehammer is Norway’s largest open-air museum. With over 200 buildings spanning different eras, captivating exhibitions, and delightful cultural experiences, there is something for everyone here.
Open year-round, Maihaugen is particularly vibrant during the summer season when most of the museum's activities occur. However, it is equally rewarding to visit during other times of the year.
The museum is divided into three main sections:
The Rural Section showcases the agrarian society of the 17th and 18th centuries.
The Residential Area offers insights into the evolving living conditions decade by decade throughout the 1900s.
The old Town provides a glimpse into small-town life around the early 190
Additionally, there is a section dedicated to mountain farms, illustrating the transition from traditional farmhouses to modern cabins.
Cultural experiences.
Maihaugen offers a journey back in time, allowing visitors to experience life as it was 200 years ago. Explore houses representing each decade of the 1900s, witness traditional crafts, and immerse yourself in the cultural landscape of mountain farms, where animals roam amidst weathered buildings.
Entrance to the historic buildings within the open-air museum is included in the admission fee. While some houses are accessible year-round, more are open during the main season (mid-June to mid-August). From September to May, select houses offer glimpses through their doors.
Throughout the year, Maihaugen hosts exciting exhibitions, adding further depth to the visitor experience.
Guides and actors
During June, July, and August, well-informed guides will be available to meet visitors in the open-air museum. Additionally, during the main season, visitors may encounter our actors in certain houses and farms.
Guided tours at Maihaugen
A guide is not obligatory and is not included in the entrance fee. Guests are free to explore on their own. However, if they wish to have a private guide, this must be pre-booked at least 3 days prior to arrival. Please note that we cannot guarantee guide availability. A guided visit to Maihaugen typically lasts 45 minutes.
Additional costs for a private guide are as follows:
During opening hours: NOK 750 per guide, including VAT.
Before and after opening hours: NOK 1,000 per guide, including VAT.
One guide can accommodate up to 30 persons in the rural section and 20 persons in the Residential Area/Old Town. Groups larger than this will require 2 guides and will be charged accordingly. Please be aware that if a group has booked only one guide and exceeds 30/20 persons upon arrival, the guide will only be able to accommodate 30/20 persons on the tour. The remaining members of the group may need to explore on their own unless an extra guide is available, in which case extra charges will apply. All prices include VAT.
If a group is delayed, the guided tour cannot be guaranteed. The guided tour duration is estimated from the confirmed time and lasts for a minimum of 45 minutes. If, for example, the group is 15 minutes late, the guided tour may only last for 30 minutes if the guide has a full schedule.
Groups Exploring on Their Own
It is a wonderful experience to explore Maihaugen on your own, especially during the high season when we have actors and hosts in many of the houses. If you are a large group, please note that a maximum of 30 people is allowed in one house in the Rural section area and 15 in the Residential area at a time. If the group is larger, it must be split before entering. Please also be considerate if there is already a group inside the house, and wait for your turn.
Exhibitions
We charge an additional fee of NOK 2,000, including VAT, for visits outside of opening hours.
The Norwegian Olympic Museum
The Norwegian Olympic Museum is situated at Maihaugen in Lillehammer. The museum offers a journey from the first Olympic Games to the present day. The entrance ticket is included in the ticket to Maihaugen.
Practical information
Opening hours
The opening hours vary from season to season.
Prices
Tour operators with a contract are offered net prices for our museums. For further information, please don't hesitate to contact us.
Payment
Credit terms must be established in advance. Payment is expected within 14 days of the invoice date. Invoices will be sent via email, so please provide us with the appropriate email address. Late payments may incur interest charges.
Voucher and invoice
We do not accept physical vouchers. Instead, we will invoice you directly from our booking system.
Unannounced groups
For groups arriving without prior notice, they will not receive the NET price agreed upon in the contract. Instead, the standard group price will be offered, provided that one person pays for all and collects the tickets for everyone in the group.
Cancellations, changes and no shows
• Cancellation of groups and FITs with a private guide can be done free of charge up to 3 days prior to arrival.
Cancellations made later than this will incur a charge of NOK 1000.
• No show: Groups and FITs with a private guide will be charged NOK 1000.
• Reduction of visitors is free of charge up to 3 days prior to arrival.
• If the number of visitors exceeds the reported number, we will invoice for the actual number of visitors.
Force majeure
The client may terminate the booking immediately in the event of an extraordinary situation beyond the supplier's control, such as police prohibitions, strikes, war, riots, pandemics, etc., which give reason to fear the risk of damage to the audience and/or the property and/or its fixtures and fittings. In the event of such termination, the supplier shall not be responsible for any costs or losses incurred by the client as a result of the termination. The supplier shall have the same right of termination as set out above.
Booking office
Please note that the booking office is unavailable from Friday afternoon at 15:30 until Monday morning at 09:00. This applies to both email correspondence and phone calls.
Contact
e-mail: post@lillehammermuseum.no
Phone: +47 61 28 89 00
Meals
Our restaurateur, Frichs, offers lunch or dinner in beautiful premises at Maihaugen. Contact them directly for offers: maihaugen@frich.no
More museums
We also operate four additional museums:
Lillehammer Art Museum. Located in Lillehammer City center.
Bjerkebæk: The renowned author and Nobel laureate in literature, Sigrid Undset's home. Located at lillehammer. Open only during the summer.
Aulestad: The Nobel laureate in literature, Bjørnstjerne Bjørnson's home. Located in Follebu, 20 minute drive from Lillehammer. Open only during the summer.
The Norwegian Postal Museum: Included in the ticket at Maihaugen and also located at Maihaugen. Open only during the summer.
For these museums, you can receive a 25% discount if you purchase a combination ticket.
