Vemork, Rjukan – Norway

Vemork hydroelectric power plant in Rjukan, built by Norsk Hydro was completed in 1911, and was the largest plant in the world. The power plant was built to power a fertilizer factory built at the same time. Later a hydrogen factory was built next to it, and in the basement they produced heavy water as a bi-product from the hydrogen production. The hydrogen factory has later been demolished, while the basement is trying to be rescued and turned into a museum.

During WW II, while Norway was occupied by Germany, there was several sabotage attempts at the plant to inhibit the German to use heavy water in development of nuclear weapons. There has been made several movies of the sabotage operations.

The whole plant it now shut down and house the Norsk Industriarbeidermuseum (Norwegian Industrial Workers Museum), and the new Vemork hydroelectric power plant is relocated into the mountain.

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Maihaugen open-air Museum, Norway

Maihaugen is a open-air museum in Lillehammer, about 135 km north of Oslo. The museum has a collection of more than 200 houses and is divided into a rural area, city (mostly old Lillehammer buildings) and a residential area. The majority of the buildings originates from the Gudbrandsdalen from the last few centuries, but also has older buildings like Garmo Stave Church from 12th century.

We visited Maihaugen in 2006.

Museu do Ipiranga, São Paulo, Brazil

The full name is “The Museu Paulista of the University of São Paulo/Museu Paulista da Universidade de São Paulo”, but are commonly called Museu do Ipiranga or simply Museu Paulista. The building was built as a memorial of the declaration of independence and it was opened as a museum in 1895. The museum has a collection of more than 125 000 items mostly from the São Paulo region, but also from rest of Brazil.

Unfortunately we where not allowed to take photos inside.