Luigi Micheletti Award
Jærmuseet is a regional museum located near the city of Stavanger, for the municipalities of Randaberg, Sola, Sandnes, Klepp, Time and Hå in the county of Rogaland, southwest of Norway. In addition, it is also the regional science center for the Rogaland and Agder counties. Jærmuseet is both a museum and a science center. This interaction is seen as innovative, both in terms of museum exhibitions and in relation to traditional science centers. The Museum is an academic institution that documents the region’s history through collection, conservation, research and teaching. We aim to promote interest for knowledge, education and research in our region and in particular encourage children and young people’s interest in technology and science.
Jærmuseet is a meeting place between nature, culture and technology. The Museum has eight different sites open to the public throughout the year, as well as an outreach program called Science Circus. The sites are a mixture of small museum sites and the two main departments of our science center: the Science Farm and the Science Factory. The two departments reflect the two most important industries in our region over the last 150 years: agriculture and industrial production. Historically, there are close interactions between these industries; many of the early regional factories started making tools and implements for the mechanization of the expanding agriculture.
The Science Farm is located outside a small community (Nærbø) in the middle of one of the most productive agricultural areas in Norway. It is specially devoted to the “green” sciences and provides experiences and information about the cultural landscape, development of tools, agriculture and food production through the ages, with main emphasis on the modern day region. Our second and low largest science department is the Science Factory. It is located in the centre of Sandnes, the eighth largest city in Norway. The Science Factory focuses on subjects related to science, mathematics, regional industrial history and astronomy. The
two departments reflect the interaction between the rural and urban traditions of the region, and all exhibitions are hands-on where visitors are encouraged to touch and try – after the principal “learning by doing”. In addition to be honoured the Micheletti Award 2009, the Museum was also voted the “Museum of the Year” in Norway 2009 and also the “most charming museum for children”.
The impact of the Luigi Micheletti Award
Jærmuseet was honoured to be awarded with the Micheletti Award in 2009, in a good company with the best museums in Europe. First of all, it gave all employees a proof that the museum’s exhibitions have a high European standard and that our work through the last 25 years to change from a traditional museum to a modern museum and science center has paid off. It was also important for our municipalities, political authorities, sponsors and visitors to see that our work has been recognized outside of Norway, and it is helpful when seeking for more financing. The Micheletti Award has been used in advertising the Museum, and will be used for the years to come. The award gives Jærmuseet a great opportunity to promote itself in Norway and Europe, and is also a “dooropener” to corporate with other museums and science centers.
