About this place
Jugendstilsenteret (the Art Nouveau Centre) is a museum in the heart of Ålesund, in Møre og Romsdal county on Norway's west coast. It occupies a former pharmacy building and is among the best places to understand why the town is regarded as the capital of Norwegian Art Nouveau.
What is Jugendstilsenteret?
It is both a museum and the national centre for Art Nouveau, known in German as Jugendstil. Visitors find authentic interiors, period objects and temporary exhibitions. Queen Sonja opened it on 6 June 2003, and it was chosen at the time as the millennium project for Møre og Romsdal.
What is the history of the building?
The house was built between 1905 and 1907 to a design by architect Hagbarth Martin Schytte-Berg (1860–1944). Construction followed hard on the great fire of 1904, after which Ålesund was rebuilt in the Art Nouveau style. People call it the Apotekergarden, the "pharmacy building", because the Svaneapoteket (Swan Pharmacy) ran from its ground floor. The address is Apotekergata 16.
In 1984 it became the first Art Nouveau monument in Ålesund to receive heritage listing. It holds the best-preserved Art Nouveau interior in town.
What is there to see inside?
The star attraction is the old pharmacy. It has been kept almost exactly as it once looked, showing how practicality and decoration were combined in the early twentieth century. Alongside the interiors, the museum presents everyday objects and themed exhibitions on the style, giving context to a walk through the town. After a visit it is easier to spot ornamental details on the facades of neighbouring buildings.
How to plan a visit
The centre sits right downtown, so it is an easy walk from the harbour and most central sights. Its entrance also serves the neighbouring art museum KUBE, housed in a former Norges Bank branch dating from 1906. That makes it simple to combine two quite different museums in one trip. Check opening hours and ticket prices on the official website before you go.
Frequently asked questions
Where is Jugendstilsenteret? In central Ålesund, at Apotekergata 16, Norway.
When was the building constructed? Between 1905 and 1907, after the town fire of 1904.
Who designed it? Hagbarth Martin Schytte-Berg.
When did the museum open? On 6 June 2003, opened by Queen Sonja.
Can I see the old pharmacy? Yes. The Swan Pharmacy is a main attraction and survives almost as it once was.
Is another museum nearby? Yes, the KUBE art museum shares the same entrance.
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