Norskedalen Nature & Heritage Center

05/09/2026

Up here at Norskedalen, we have minimal light pollution, meaning that stars and constellations are far more vibrant and easier to see!

Use the poster down below to see when your zodiac constellation can be viewed in the night sky.

Happy stargazing!

05/09/2026

04/09/2026

Do you ever have trouble differentiating between moths and butterflies? Then this post is for you!

Did you know that there are over 17,500 species of butterflies and over 160,000 species of moths?

With that many species, it can sometimes get hard to tell them apart. Luckily, there are many key differences you can look out for to help you identify which is which.

04/09/2026

We’re back with another starring role for Stellan Skarsgård in En Ganske Snill Mann (English Title: A Somewhat Gentle Man). This is actually the second time here that we have encountered director Hans Petter Moland teaming up with Skarsgård, the first being In Order of Disappearance, which we talked about back in June. Both of these films could be classified as black comedies and feature Skarsgård playing a, let’s say, “gangster-adjacent” role. In A Somewhat Gentle Man, we follow Ulrik who has just been released from prison while he attempts to restart his life despite the fact that his family and most of society want nothing to do with him, with the exception of his old criminal accomplices. Despite the occasional violent incident, the movie itself is a slow and (somewhat) gentle experience that owes its success to Skarsgård’s wonderful stoic performance. Additionally, he has a positively heinous ponytail throughout, so don’t say you weren’t warned.

04/09/2026

We have to tell Pogy's how many guests we'll have at Twilight Tour by noon today .... did you make your reservation yet? Call us ASAP so you don't miss out ...

03/09/2026

Our photo for today takes you inside of the Morterud general store sometime around 1900. As you can plainly see the image contains no patrons or staff, and instead focuses on the merchandise and organization of the store itself. Eagle eyed viewers, or those with the ability to zoom in, can see what would have been available at the time which includes products like sausages, onions, Van Houten’s Cocoa, and of course Crescent Chick Feed.

03/09/2026

Only one more day to reserve your seats for this amazing evening!!! Call us now!

03/09/2026

Today we get a glimpse of two dolls from our collection here at Norskedalen. Luckily, when it comes to creepy old dolls, these two only manage a couple of shivers which is likely due to the fact that their eyes are painted on and do not have that uncomfortable glassy sheen presented by other, creepier, dolls. When it comes to moveable eyes, the “sleeper” style originates in the late 19th century with the French doll company, Jumeau. While eyes that can move up and down might be popular among baby dolls, the German company Simon and Halbig took the technology in a more alluring direction with the invention of the “flirting eyes” which would move side to side. While these two don’t have moving eyes, it's pretty easy to suss out which one is sleepy and which one is flirty.

01/09/2026

This stereoscope card is simply titled, “Resting” and depicts a smiling, bright eyed, rosy cheeked child sitting in what appears to be a cart or wagon of some sort. This raises the question, why is he resting? He doesn’t appear tired or worn out. It looks like there is a bucket and shovel next to him, but they seem unused and he isn’t dirty at all like one might expect from manual labor. “Resting”? Seems more like “Slacking Off.”

31/08/2026

Fall is right around the corner, but we still have a little bit of summer and warm weather left, and what better way to wring the last little bit of enjoyment out of the season than by stepping outside, enjoying the natural world, and going for a swim. This is as true for us as it is in Scandinavia. Follow the link below to read an article from the Living a Nordic Life blog about the practice of wild swimming.

https://www.livinganordiclife.com/post/7-august-the-nordic-obsession-with-wild-swimming