The museum offers insight into the artist’s work, style, and artistic expression – from his unique childhood drawings to his final works at the age of 92. Harald Kihle was one of Norway’s leading artists from 1930 to 1980, and through 170 works the exhibition tells the story of his life and artistic career.
Harald Kihle grew up just a stone’s throw from the museum, at Apenestunet. It was here that he drew his first horses – the working horse that later became a central motif in his art. The museum presents 170 works, ranging from childhood drawings created when he was 6–7 years old to his final works before his death at the age of 92. The collection includes woodcuts, lithographs, and paintings inspired by summers in Telemark, folk legends such as Telnes’ account of Guro Heddelid, Vinje’s cycle about Storegut, as well as many other works by Kihle.
The museum also preserves the artist’s complete archive, including sketches, preparatory studies, photographs, diaries, and other documentation from a long artistic life. The archive has been catalogued and digitised, and parts of the material are available at digitalmuseum.no.
The museum is part of the Apenestunet kunst- og kulturpark (Art- and Cultural Park), which also includes an art gallery, the historic sheriff’s residence, and a large garden area. Free parking is available. The museum is accessible to all, with near step-free access and a cafeteria.
The museum is located 10 minutes from the ferry terminal and 15 minutes from Kopstad (E18).
Admission
The museum is operated by the Horten Art Association in its own buildings, without public funding, and is largely run by volunteers.
Admission is free for children under 18 and members of the Horten Art Association.
For private or group guided tours, please get in touch.
Ulving Kunsthandel is a family-run gallery that has been in the same premises since the 1930s. Here you will find art and antiques over 600 m2 spread over 2 floors. Here you can see both classical and modern art, silver, faience, weapons, peasant antiques, maritime objects, etc.
The Gallery and Restaurant is unfortunately closed during the Summer season 2025.
More info at Galleri Gudem's facebookside.
Summer exhibition and restaurant!
Galleri Gudem consists of a built sea shed of 85 square meters spread over 2 floors.
The purpose of the sea shed is a gallery, and it has managed to offer a special and intimate atmosphere.
A selection of artists is invited annually to participate in this year's summer exhibition, which is the main exhibition of Galleri Gudem. Open summer and Christmas – and otherwise open by appointment.
Outdoor restaurant with Mediterranean flavors!
Lunch dishes, bruschetta made from freshly baked organic sourdough bread, small dishes/tapas, Italian ice cream and freshly ground coffee. Weekends from 15 June. Every day in July and weekends in August from 12.00 to 22.00.
Outside the exhibition period, offered here; unforgettable accommodation options close to the sea and nature.
Once a month, the gallery changes the entire exhibition and invites three to four artists to showcase their work. They also have a selection of regular artists and lots of graphics. The gallery is divided into four different departments with Hallen, Tress, Base and White box.
Besides very exciting and varied exhibitions, you can also deliver your pictures for framing at Galleri ER. They also have the opportunity to come home to you and try out pictures on your wall before deciding which art you could want.
Galleri Ask shows a diversity of artistic expressions and materials within contemporary visual arts and handicrafts.
The gallery is run by Horten municipality with an artist-led jury. Every year exhibition places are announced for the period April – October.
At Galleri Ask you get a direct encounter with contemporary art. These are often socially relevant exhibition projects that highlight the times we live in and the challenges we face.
Gallery Ask is idyllically located in the middle of the old Town Hall quarter in Åsgårdstrand, with a short distance to both the bathing area, cafes and Munch's house.
This year's program can be found on Galleri Ask's website.
Vestfold Art Center with various exhibitions within contemporary visual arts and handicrafts. The art center has between 6 and 10 different exhibitions during the year. You can see among other things, ceramic art, textile art, video art, performance art, drawing and installation depending on which artist or artists are shown.
During the normal opening hours, there will always be an employee present who can provide additional information about the art.
An art project that, in close collaboration with nature, affects everyone who visits the trail to give the senses free space. The path STI FOR ØYE is almost two kilometers long, available all year round.
The light designer Erik Selmer makes sure that the trail, nature and art are lit in an exciting and adventurous way. The lighting is automatically turned on every night at dusk and turned off at midnight.
The trail is made by the landscape architect Rainer Stange.
The path is covered in red rombeporfyr, "the red carpet", which is hardly anywhere else than in Stokke. The forest on both sides of the trail has Norway's richest incidence of laurel species. Each spring wood anemone cover the forest like a carpet. The area is also rich in birdlife, and each fall the chanterelle shows up in fine yellow bunches on the forest ground.
12 artists from 8 European countries were chosen to create their stories about the nature. The project started in 2001, and officially opened September 30, 2010.
The path is almost two kilometers long and winds its way towards Himmeltrappen (The Sky Stairs). From there, hikers have a clear view of Slottsfjellet in Tønsberg.
GROUP TOURS
Do you want a guided tour? STI FOR ØYE offers guided tours of one to two hours, or lectures followed by guided tours for groups of min. 10 people. Food and drink can also be offered. Get in touch for enquiries.
Haugar Art museum is worth a visit. Andy Warhols tribute to Munch is some of the museums exhibitions, when it is not abroad. You can contact the museum for more information on this.
The museums also have different exhibitions throughout the year, which means its worth visiting more than ones.
Haugar Art Museum has high quality exhibitions at all times, and is one of the country's best art museums. The art museum is located in an impressive brick building, the former Seamen's School, right in the center of Tønsberg.
Private tour
If you want a private tour, the museum adapts this, contact Haugar for prices.
Events and activities
Haugar has various events and activities throughout the year for young and old. There are always activities for children at the museum, whether it is art hunting, activity rooms or Kunstporten – an app that engages children in an exciting and educational museum experience.
Museum shop
In the museum shop you will find gift items, such as books, jewelry, art glass, ceramics etc. Gift certificates are also sold in the museum shop with an optional amount. The shop follows the museum's opening hours and is open to everyone even without an entrance ticket.
The museum is closed on the following days:
May 17, Christmas Eve, Christmas Day and Boxing Day, New Year's Eve and New Year's Day.
Welcome to Gallery Brown, in the little red house by Kurbadet.
Rita Lysebo Egren is ceramic designer and Unn Holvik Stenersen, visual artist.
In the gallery they have their own work – Rita with ceramics in tight, clean design and Unn with colorful, figurative paintings.
Rita has a bachelor in ceramic design from Danish Design School in Copenhagen. She has exhibited in Haugar Art Museum, Sandefjord Kunstforening, Gallery Elogel and Oslo City Hall.
Unn has a background in art schools in Bergen and Kabelvåg in addition to courses and workshops in Norway, Sweden and Scotland. She has exhibited in Sandefjord Kunstforening, Gallery Fold, Gallery Elogel and Søgne Old Vicarage etc.
Open Thursday-Saturday, but it is also possible to contact Rita and Unn outside opening hours.
Rita Lysebo Egren tel: +47 97034240 email: ritaegren@yahoo.no
Unn Holvik Stenersen tel: +47 40511310 email: unnelisabeth@icloud.com
Midtåsen Sculptur Pavilion
On a hill in Midtåsen is Midtåsen sculpture pavilion and a sculpture park, featuring a selection of the works of Knut Steen in marble and bronze. Here you find twelve marble sculptures inside and four bronze sculptures outside.
The pavilion was drawn by the architect Svein Lund and landscape architect Gullik Gulliksen, and has brought international engagement.
Free entrance!
