Eydehavn: Industrial history, canals and trails

Eydehavn brings its industrial history to life in different ways: in a museum, along stone-lined canals and through a street exhibition. There is also the history of Flosta Church, a cycling route and a boat route. This gives you the chance to get to know the area through culture, landscape and activity, rather than limiting yourself to a single sightseeing spot.

Industrial history in the museum and on the streets

The Eydehavn Museum is located in Nesbyen in Eydehavn. The exhibition on the first floor covers Arendal Smelteverk and Nitriden, as well as the community that developed around these industrial companies. So it is about more than just businesses: it also tells the story of the community shaped by industrial work. The history of Flosta Church adds another historical layer: its history in Eydehavn dates back to the Middle Ages.

The street exhibition takes the history of the area beyond the museum and into public spaces. Along a route of about three kilometres through the streets of Eydehavn, street names and the people behind them tell the story of the area. The exhibition comprises 13 panels and can be visited on foot, independently of the museum’s opening hours. This offers a different way to explore the history: instead of encountering an exhibition in a building, you come across its themes along the streets.

Stone-lined canals in the forest

The canals between Ulvsrygtjern and Stemtjern are another testament to the area’s industrial history. Together, they are about 250 metres long and were built to carry water to a pump house and water reservoirs for Arendal Smelteverk and Nitriden. Their purpose links the visible landscape to the industrial plants that needed the water.

The canals in the forest of Eydehavn are a cultural heritage site. Today, they are partly overgrown and in places risk disappearing into the landscape; preserving them requires maintenance. Those interested in industrial heritage will find here, alongside the museum and street exhibition, a landscape feature whose condition and preservation are part of its story.

By boat or by bicycle

You can travel by boat from Lyngør to Eydehavn along Sørlandsleia. The route to Eydehavn is marked with red and green maritime markers from the Norwegian Coastal Administration (Kystverket), placed at critical points for leisure boats. The cycling route runs from Arendal via Eydehavn to Buøya. It is about 13 kilometres each way and passes through easy terrain. The boat trip and cycling route offer different ways to include Eydehavn in a journey: one follows the water route, the other the cycle path.

When choosing a holiday rental, these themes may help you decide: are you mainly interested in the local industrial history, the canals and the street exhibition, or are you also drawn to a trip with cycling and boating experiences? These interests can help you decide whether Eydehavn is the right destination, without requiring you to follow a particular itinerary.

More cultural highlights in the wider destination of Arendal

The wider destination of Arendal offers further cultural highlights. The exhibitions at KUBEN explore the history of Aust-Agder and Arendal; its children’s exhibition is called “Barndom”. This differs in theme from the industrial and working-class history presented by the Eydehavn Museum.

The history of Bratteklev Skipsverft also offers a distinct perspective on the region: between 1868 and 1924, fourteen ships were built there—eight sailing ships, five steamships, two of them made of steel, and one schooner with a diesel engine. The figures and ship types illustrate the changing history of the shipyard. Bomuldsfabriken Kunsthall offers a different cultural focus: it concentrates on contemporary art and is housed in a former cotton mill.

For planning your trip, it helps to distinguish between these highlights. Here, Eydehavn stands for industrial history, a street exhibition and canals; in the wider destination of Arendal, regional history, shipbuilding and contemporary art add to the picture. Choose a holiday rental based on which of these themes you would like to shape your stay.

Discover more destinations: Rykene, Kolbjørnsvik, Arendal, Kilsund, Staubø, Kongshavn, His, Saltrød

Go to the overview of the wider destination: Arendal.