Norwegian Wild Salmon Centre in Lærdal

Get to know the salmon and what it has meant to us

Inside the exhibition, you can follow the salmon through its upbringing in the river, its migration out into the ocean, back into the fjord, and up its tributary until it meets the waterfall it cannot pass. What does the salmon encounter on its way? What has the salmon meant to us? What do we know about the state of the salmon's environment? How do humans affect the salmon's life before and now? What does the future look like?

The exhibition area

We use film, sound, large projections, and images. For those who want more information, we have interactive screens. There are quizzes and challenges for young and old. You can do it all in 20 minutes or spend the whole day.

We talk about:

• The salmon's wonderful life.
• The relationship between salmon and humans.
• The conflicts of interest related to salmon and their habitats.
• The salmon's ability to adapt and survive and how we manage it.
• The future - what does the future look like for salmon in light of climate change and human consumption of nature?

You get a deeper understanding of the salmon and its life within a larger framework. We want to open new perspectives as a basis for reflection, create a desire to know more, interest and enthusiasm to preserve the wild salmon and its habitats, and not least give the guest a good experience.

Lærdalselva – world-renowned salmon river

The large salmon and nature make the Lærdal river an attractive salmon river. Lærdal and the Sognefjorden have long, and strong traditions linked to salmon.

The average weight of the salmon in the Lærdal river is 7.5 kg, and the record salmon is 26.5 kg. In a "normal year" 1,000-1,500 salmons are caught. The large salmon and the river's spectacular landscape have lured anglers, royalty, and rich people from all over the world to Lærdal. This has created jobs and value for nearly 200 years. The Lærdal river is also King Harald's river. He has been fishing in the river since the early 1950s.

The Lærdal area

A short distance from the old village of Lærdal with 160 protected wooden houses, distinctive buildings, shops, and restaurants. Campsite with outdoor fitness park for young and old, sauna (Auga) at the outlet of Lærdalselva.

View over the Lærdal river and the fjord. Day trip cabin and hiking trails nearby. In autumn, you can walk along the old Royal road and see the salmon spawning.

20 minutes drive to Borgund stave church and the Borgund center, 'Vindhellaveien' and 'Sverrestien' (Sverre trail).