“Focal Point Arkivet: Occupation, resistance, captivity and collaboration in Agder 1940-1945” is a permanent exhibition located in the basement, where the Gestapo had its headquarters and carried out brutal interrogations during the war.
Focal Point Arkivet opened in April 2016. The exhibition is open for visits during the centre’s opening hours and has a recommended age limit of 12 years. Every year, several thousand middle school students visit ARKIVET to participate in the educational program ‘Choices and Values,’ which also includes a tour of Focal Point Arkivet.
New knowledge and focus on actors
Based on the building’s past as the Gestapo headquarters from 1942 to 1945, Focal Point Arkivet aims to provide a greater understanding of how individual choices impact societal development in a specific direction. The exhibition reflects new research knowledge about the Gestapo’s activities in Agder and presents new perspectives on Norwegian imprisonment history. What were the long-term effects of imprisonment for former prisoners and their families?
ARKIVET is placed in a new and larger context, as a first stop within the vast complex of prisons and camps created by the Nazis across much of Europe. At the same time, it is a goal to demystify the perpetrators and take their humanity seriously—without absolving them of guilt for their crimes.
Different rooms that provide answers
The exhibition consists of various rooms that aim to answer different questions. The different sections present diverse expressions, employing a wide range of techniques and display methods: from detailed dioramas and reconstructed cells with model figures to film installations, touch screens, objects that can be handled, and panels with text providing background information about people and events.
For English speaking visitors we can offer audioguides. Please contact us in advance if you would like to book an English speaking guide: kontakt@arkivet.no
