Stories from the Swedish mountains at Härjedalens Fjällmuseum

Which stories do tourists hear about the Swedish mountains, and which go untold? Those were the questions Ola Hanneryd, the director of Härjedalens Fjällmuseum, asked himself when he took on the role. The province of Härjedalen is in northern Sweden, bordering Norway. It’s home to a population of some 10,000 people, 16,000 reindeer, the popular ski resort of Funäsdalen – and the museum.

“At the museum, we aspire to share stories from our place and history that are different from most stories told about ski resorts. There is a lot of history and life here that visitors seldom hear about, but are very happy to discover and take part in,” Hanneryd explains.

In spring and summer, three different exhibitions will run. One explores the decorative paradisial gardens and floral symbols that were popular in the region during the 18th century. Another tells the story of a woman who left her son with her parents to help Norwegian refugees over the border during the Nazi occupation of Norway, and sadly died in the mountains. The museum has been in contact with the surviving son to share his memories. A third exhibition, Aerpie – meaning ‘heritage’ in Sámi – shares three different art forms from three Sámi generations. “We take pride in producing the majority of our exhibitions ourselves and holding space for new people to discover the history of Härjedalen,” says Hanneryd.

Stories from the Swedish mountains at Härjedalens Fjällmuseum

Web: www.fjallmuseet.se
Facebook: fjallmuseet