Innovative new centre dedicated to whales opening in northern Norway next summer Innovative new centre dedicated to whales opening in northern Norway next summer

A soundscape room that vibrates in your chest, gothic-arch rib bones and whale blood in jars are just some of the experiences promised at The Whale Museum, a knowledge and experience centre scheduled to open to the public on 4 June, 2027 on the remote coast of Andenes in northern Norway.

The Whale is designed by Danish architect Dorte Mandrup taking inspiration from the ocean and the mighty mammal itself. The renders are quite spectacular. As Mandrup says, “as if a giant with a razor-sharp knife had loosened the thin skin of the Earth’s crust and carved out a hollow beneath to reveal another world.” From another angle, the structure’s smooth, undulating roofline resembles a whale’s tail as it rises above the surface of the ocean like a wave.

The roof is held up without a single supporting pillar, mirroring the sea and sky. Visitors will be able to walk on the roof with panoramic views of the Norwegian Sea, one of the best places on Earth for spotting whales in the wild.

Rather than static information, science and art come together to explore whales from every perspective: their evolution, biology, communication, social structures and their crucial role in maintaining healthy ocean ecosystems.

Once inside, visitors will encounter a Species Gallery featuring all 90 current whale species in one art installation, life-sized wooden sculptures of five real killer whales known to swim in Norwegian waters, and an Under the Skin vault stocked with anatomical specimens such as rib bones arching overhead, jars containing an entire whale’s blood and a ceiling hung with baleen (a filter-feeding system made of keratin).

Reaching all the senses, The Whale will have an immersive soundscape area built around the frequencies of whale calls, some so low they resonate in your body.

The Whale does not shy away from the dark history of the whaling industry, with a Library of Relations.

The village of Andenes is the northernmost settlement of the island of Andøya, a remote area that is preparing for greater visitor intake next summer. The spectacular natural setting on the edge of the Atlantic Ocean between Lofoten and Tromsø is a fitting place to celebrate the world’s largest mammal.

In the meantime, whale enthusiasts can visit Hull Maritime Museum which reopened in August after a £20 million reboot and now has a walk-in 40-foot skeleton of a North Atlantic right whale. Or head to London’s Natural History Museum where Hope the Blue Whale hangs in the main Hintze Hall, weighing around 4.5 tonnes.

For more information: The Whale

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