Crossing Borders – Stories of Refugees

What does it really mean to be a refugee? To be forced to leave everything behind – home, language, family, identity – and start anew in an unfamiliar place? In the exhibition Crossing Borders – Stories of Refugees, visitors encounter powerful, personal testimonies from people who have experienced just that.

Through quotes, drawings, photographs, and selected personal objects, the exhibition offers insight into the life stories of 37 individuals with refugee backgrounds from 18 different countries. Today, they have all found new homes in the Lillehammer region – in Øyer, Gausdal, Ringsaker, and Lillehammer municipalities. The stories are based on the book Crossing Borders. Stories of Refugees, and the exhibition has been developed in close collaboration between the refugees themselves, The Friends of Lillehammer Museum, and Maihaugen.

This is an exhibition about loss and discovery, pain and hope. It gives voice to individuals who are too often reduced to statistics, and reminds us that behind every number is a human being – with dreams, fears, strength, and memories.

Crossing Borders – Stories of Refugees is supported by Sparebankstiftelsen and Innlandet County Municipality.