The Sivle collection

The collection now has about 100 objects after the poet and writer Per Sivle, consisting of books, photos as well as many objects. Some of the exhibited objects include Sivle's baptismal cap and his first reader ("ABC book"), a set of cup and saucer, and the very special silver "Huldre brooch".
His literary production is found in early-published books. Per Sivle was born in 1857 at Flåm in the municipality of Aurland, but he grew up on the Sivle farm at Stalheim. His daughter Sussie Sivle donated the collection to the municipality in 1953, and can now be seen at the Local-historical centre at Aurlandsvangen.

Exhibit of big-format photos

The Aurland historical society has an exhibit showing big-format photos with old motifs from the municipality. The exhibit contains many fine landscape motifs, but also pictures portraying everyday life on farms and mountain farms. We also find pictures of all the churches in the municipality, as well as village halls, assembly buildings and residences. Some of the pictures date back to the 1870s, but there are also photos from the construction periods of the Bergen Railway in the early 20th century and the Flåm Railway in the 1920s and 1930s.

Literature of local-historical interest

Aurland has a wide selection of local-historical literature. The person responsible for most of this production is the historian Anders Ohnstad from Aurland.
As of 2000, there are 12 books/booklets on subjects such as genealogy, culture, farm history, in addition to various articles covering life in Aurland throughout the years. Two new volumes of farm history are now being written. The Aurland historical society exhibits this literature at the Local-historical centre, where these books and booklets are for sale.

The emigration exhibit

The Aurland cultural office presents an emigration exhibit from 1994 which was the year of the 150th anniversary of the emigration from Aurland to America. The exhibit includes maps, graphic presentations, pictures and texts from this emigration which was started in 1844.
In the exhibit people can find a number of genealogies, made by Americans of Norwegian heritage. The exhibits contain many photos. In 1997, the municipality of Aurland signed a friendship agreement with Cannon Falls Township, Goodhue County, Minnesota, USA.

Other exhibits

In the Local-historical centre the cultural office and the historical society has other exhibits on such themes as agriculture, mountain farming, hunting and fishing, people and church, industry and culture, and so on.