Norway's Resistance Museum also known as the Norwegian Home Front Museum is a museum located at the Akershus Fortress

Akershus Fortress

Akershus Fortress or Akershus Castle is a medieval castle that was built to protect Oslo, the capital of Norway. It has also been used as a prison.- Construction :...

 in Oslo

Oslo

Oslo is a municipality, as well as the capital and most populous city in Norway. As a municipality , it was established on 1 January 1838. Founded around 1048 by King Harald III of Norway, the city was largely destroyed by fire in 1624. The city was moved under the reign of Denmark–Norway's King...

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The museum collection focuses on Norwegian resistance

Norwegian resistance movement

The Norwegian resistance to the occupation of Norway by Nazi Germany began after Operation Weserübung in 1940 and ended in 1945. It took several forms:...

 during the occupation of Norway by Nazi Germany

Occupation of Norway by Nazi Germany

The occupation of Norway by Nazi Germany started with the German invasion of Norway on April 9, 1940, and ended on May 8, 1945, after the capitulation of German forces in Europe. Throughout this period, Norway was continuously occupied by the Wehrmacht...

 from 1940 to 1945. The museum displays equipment, photos and documents from the war years

World War II

World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...

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The museum was established as a foundation in 1966. The Museum was opened to the public in May 1970 by HRH Prince Harald of Norway

Harald V of Norway

Harald V is the king of Norway. He succeeded to the throne of Norway upon the death of his father Olav V on 17 January 1991...

 in celebration of the 25th anniversary of Norwegian liberation. Architectural planning was entrusted to Norwegian architect Otto Torgersen

Otto Torgersen

Otto Torgersen was a Norwegian architect, born in Trondheim.Among his designs were the Norwegian Museum of Science and Technology at Etterstad from 1960, and the Norwegian School of Sport Sciences at Sogn from 1971. He was responsible for designing the exhibitions at Norway's Resistance Museum...

 (1910-2000) who working together with key personnel representing various branches of the underground forces, produced a chronological gallery through the period from the prelude in the 1930's onwards to liberation in 1945.

The museum's first manager was Knut Haugland

Knut Haugland

Knut Magne Haugland, DSO, MM, was a resistance fighter and noted explorer from Norway who accompanied Thor Heyerdahl on his famous 1947 Kon-Tiki expedition.-Early life and World War II:...

, who managed the museum until 1983. Tore Gjelsvik

Tore Gjelsvik

Tore Gjelsvik was a Norwegian geologist and polar explorer. He headed the Norwegian Polar Institute from 1960 to 1983, and played an important role in the Norwegian resistance during World War II.-Personal life:...

 was chairman of the board from 1964 to 1973. Arnfinn Moland

Arnfinn Moland

Arnfinn Moland is a Norwegian historian.He was born in Kvinesdal. He finished his secondary education in Flekkefjord in 1970, served in His Majesty the King's Guard from 1973 to 1974, and graduated from the University of Oslo with the cand.philol. degree in 1977. His master's thesis was...

was appointed manager of the museum in 1995.

Other sources

• Færøy, Frode (1997) Norges hjemmefrontmuseum: i stiftelsens år (Oslo: Norges hjemmefrontmuseum) ISBN: 82-91107-07-6