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Museum · Ålesund, Møre e Romsdal
Jugendstilsenteret
Ålesund's Art Nouveau center, in a former 1907 pharmacy by the Brosundet canal, with original interiors, an exhibition about the 1904 fire and the reconstruction, and the KUBE art museum next door.
Illustrative images. The pictures in this guide are illustrations based on the real place, not photographs, and may differ from it.
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About Jugendstilsenteret
The Jugendstilsenteret, the Art Nouveau Center, tells the story that gave Ålesund the town it is today. In January 1904, a fire destroyed almost the entire town, then made of wooden houses, and left thousands homeless. The reconstruction was carried out in stone and brick, in about three years, by Norwegian architects trained abroad, who used the period style, Art Nouveau, called jugendstil in northern Europe.
The center occupies the building of the old Svaneapoteket pharmacy, from 1907, on the corner of the Brosundet canal. The ground floor preserves the original pharmacy, with counters, cabinets and bottles, and the pharmacist's dining room, decorated with period furniture and paintings. An exhibition with a film shows the fire, the aid that arrived from other countries, including the German emperor Wilhelm II, and the reconstruction.
Next door, connected by a footbridge, is KUBE, a museum of art, architecture and design, with temporary exhibitions of contemporary art and decorative arts.
The center is also a good starting point for walking the Art Nouveau streets: Apotekergata, Kongens gate and Kirkegata, with towers, animal friezes, faces and dragons, and the colorful Brosundet facades reflected in the water.
Before you go
Practical information
Cidade Turismo reviews its information regularly, but something may have changed. Check with the place before planning your trip.
How much time to set aside
From 1 to 1h30 for the center and KUBE.
Best time
All year round. It's a good option for rainy days. Before or after, walk the Art Nouveau streets, which look nicer in the late-afternoon light.
How to get there
It is located on Apotekergata, at the corner of the Brosundet canal, in central Ålesund, a 5-minute walk from the harbor and the Aksla staircase.
Tip
Visit the center before walking the town: after the exhibition, the details of the facades are easier to recognize. Look up at the corners of Kongens gate and Apotekergata.
Official website
Get your questions answered
Frequently asked questions about Jugendstilsenteret
What happened in Ålesund in 1904?
A fire in January 1904 destroyed almost the entire wooden town centre. The city was rebuilt in stone and brick in the Art Nouveau style in about three years.
What is jugendstil?
It's the name for Art Nouveau in Germany and northern Europe: plant- and animal-inspired ornaments and curved lines on façades, towers and windows.
Does the ticket include KUBE?
It usually includes KUBE, the art museum next door. Confirm the conditions before you go.
Where can you see the Art Nouveau buildings?
In the centre, on Apotekergata, Kongens gate and Kirkegata and around the Brosundet canal.