Østfoldmuseene - The Halden Canal Museum, Ørje

The Halden Canalmuseum, Ørje
The Halden Canalmuseum is part of the  Østfold museums, and is located in the old wood grinding factory at Ørje Brug. The museum conveys the rich cultural and natural history associated with the Halden watercourse.

The Øsfold museums - The Halden Canalmuseum
In the heart of Ørje is the Halden Canalmuseum, where you can explore how natural forces and human efforts have shaped the watercourse through the ages. The museum takes you on a journey from the landscape of the Ice Age to the heyday of timberfloating.

Cultural history - the journey of the timber
Central to the cultural history exhibition is the log. By following its journey from the forest, through the river's waterways and up to the sawmills and wood mills, you will become familiar with the history of log timberfloating.
Meet the loggers, the rafters, the sawmill owners - and the canal builder Engebret Soot.

The Halden watercourse has been used for floating timber for over 500 years. The timber came from the forests in the north - of Nes, Sør-Odal and Eidskog, as well as from Swedish areas such as West Värmland and Dalsland, and was transported through the watercourse to Fredrikshald (Halden), where it was processed and exported to Europe.

At the museum you can also watch a film about the history of the river, made in 2016, which is shown in our small movie theater.

Natural history - the imprint of the ice age
In the museum's inner circle, the glacier leads you into the natural history section.The retreat of the ice after the last ice age shaped the landscape of the Halden watercourse, with lakes, rivers and wetlands.
This unique landscape is home to a rich diversity of species, including rare animal species - so-called ice age immigrants.

The museum has several aquariums where you can see freshwater fish, crayfish and other species from the watercourse, as well as the forest's birds and mammals - and for the extra interested: the tracks they leave behind.

The children's museum
Haldenvassdragets Kanalmuseum is an exciting place for families with children. For the little ones, the house in the “forest” is ready for play, while the slightly older children can investigate small animals in the exciting “water channel”.The outdoor area offers play equipment, and from the pier outside you can experience the boating life with the large steamboats that still serve Ørje.

Østfoldmuseene has museums and visitor venues throughout Østfold!
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