Foundation Museum Nord
Museum Nord is a non-profit, government-supported organisation within the national museum network, operating 21 different museums in northern Nordland.
Museum Nord contributes to the collection and documentation of historic sites and objects, carrying out research, and disseminating and promoting the cultural and natural history of Ofoten, Vesterålen and Lofoten. In this context the museum works towards the preservation of archaeological and architectural buildings and monuments, physical environments of cultural significance, and the region’s intangible cultural heritage.
Despite its location above the Arctic Circle Museum Nord is one of Norway’s most visited museums. Among our 21 venues, there are large facilities that welcome a large number of visitors each year. At the same time, we also operate many smaller sites, such as community museums and heritage centers with local significance.
Lofotr Viking Museum in Vestvågøy is built on an extraordinary archaeological site that uncovered a chieftain’s seat from the Viking Age. The Hurtigruten Museum in Stokmarknes tells the story of the coastal route and its great importance for communication along Norway’s coast through the ship MS Finnmarken. The SKREI Center in Vågan focuses on the migratory patterns of skrei (Atlantic cod) to the spawning grounds in Lofoten and the cultural and economic significance of the world’s largest cod fisheries. In Narvik, we convey the industrial history associated with mining and the iron ore railway from Kiruna, while the uniquely preserved herring oil factory in Melbu tells the story of the herring boom.
While we work with all the traditional museum areas from collection care, research, exhibition development to outreach, Museum Nord has a keen interest in exploring notions of the present and future. Our employees are not afraid to challenge themselves and traditional museum practices through our collaboration with partners from research and educational environments at home and abroad. The GAIA project in Vesterålen, and SKREI Research Center in Lofoten, which have received great recognition, is a good example of this and how Museum Nord explores new paths, utilising the potential of history and keeping it alive.
Museum Nord CULTURALITY TEAM
JONAS WALSØE
Jonas Walsøe is project manager of “Skrei Research Center”(SRC), and part of the Research and Development team at Museum Nord, Norway. SRC is a part of Museum Nord’s new national SKREI museum in Storvågan, Lofoten, dedicated to the Arctic cod (Gadus Morhua). SRC seeks to gather research about Arctic cod, taking a pro-active role to secure future relevant research projects, and developing a unique transnational platform which promotes participation and interaction in our network.
In his previous role, Jonas was a CEO in the fishing industry buying wild caught fish from the Norwegian coastal fleet and producing stockfish and other high-end products for HORECA and grocery stores. He is experienced in creating fish products and promoting it to end users, winning several prices on product development and design. His portfolio also includes several board memberships within the fisheries, for example “Tørrfisk fra Lofoten” (Stockfish from Lofoten), an umbrella corporation containing 95% of all stockfish producers in Norway, that aims to develop strategy and promote stockfish through the “Protected Geographic Indication” scheme.
Jonas holds a Master’s degree from the University of Oslo from the departments of Humanities and Social Science in area studies “Europe and America studies”. His area of expertise is fisheries, administration and coastal culture.
ANNA INSA VERMEHREN
Anna Vermehren is Head of Research and Development at Museum Nord, Norway, where she leads a team of professionals focusing on organisational development, project financing and strategy. Anna is an experienced project manager in national and international projects. Her portfolio includes the digital heritage project Connected Culture and Natural Heritage in the Northern Environment (CINE) with partners in Norway, Scotland, Iceland, Ireland and Northern Ireland; the SKREI Convention project which tells the European history of stockfish exported from Norway to countries such as Italy and Portugal; and the project management of a new national museum in Storvågan, Lofoten, dedicated to Arctic cod – SKREI.
Anna holds degrees in Art History, Sociology and Literature. She has published articles in scholarly journals including Cambridge Anthropology and in the Proceedings of UNESCO Congress on Digital Heritage. She has a keen interest in diverse cultures, facilitating discourse and building relationships.
