Scan Magazine | Attraction of the Month | Norway
Kulturbadet is located in Sandnessjøen in Nordland, northern Norway. Photo: Johanne Dahl Tysnes.
Attraction of the Month, Norway
Cultural hotspot in northern Norway Featuring an entire swimming complex, a state-of-the-art cinema, an art gallery, a library and a venue for music, theatre performances, shows, talks and banquets, Kulturbadet in northern Norway is a cultural meeting point for tourists, locals and businesses in the area. By Line Elise Svanevik
As a regional cultural centre, Kulturbadet first opened its doors in 2015 in a small town located in the county of Nordland. “We are placed in the middle of the centre of Sandnessjøen, and the building itself is located within walking distance to buses and boats. Even the Hurtigruten cruise stops just around the corner,” says CEO of Kulturbadet, Odd Arnold Skogsholm. For a place of just 6,000 inhabitants, it is quite astonishing to think that the annual number of visitors at Kulturbadet is a whopping 250,000. “It’s a house for everybody,” explains Skogsholm. “Our offering is so broad that everyone can 88 | Issue 102 | July 2017
lored courses for babies, adults and seniors. “We’ve got a swimming club now, and we are continuing to bring out new offers as we’re constantly striving to improve and expand our offering,” says marketing consultant for Kulturbadet, Trine Mathisen Vassvik.
find something to do here – whether it’s tourists, locals or families.”
State-of-the-art cinema
Sandnessjøen had been without a swimming complex and a proper concert and theatre venue for a long time when Kulturbadet launched as a welcome contribution to the small community. Skogsholm believes that the cultural centre, particularly the pool, has the best view in Norway, overlooking the Seven Sisters mountain range, the Dønnamannen mountain and the Helgelandsbroen bridge.
The cinema at Kulturbadet is small, but its brand-new facilities have resulted in a five-fold increase in visitors since its debut. “The technical aspect of the cinema is amongst the best in Norway. The sound is three-dimensional 8 with our Dolby ATMOS sound system, and the picture is 4K quality,” says Skogsholm. “We have speakers everywhere, and we were among the first to adopt these new cinema facilities, still the only cinema in the area that is this advanced.”
Kulturbadet hosts several courses in their swimming complex, including tai-
Throughout the year, there are theatre performances, concerts and shows at