They tamed a waterfall to give the world food. Built huge industrial plants to produce electric power and fertiliser for the world market. They built Rjukan at record speed. There is no doubt that Norsk Hydro influence society, but how it also changed the world is just as impressive.
When Norsk Hydro came to Rjukan, they also had to build homes for the rapidly growing population. In a short period of time, a whole new society saw the light of day.
At the exhibition “Industrial Rjukan” you will find out how the area changed from an agricultural society to an industrial society with all that modern life had to offer.
Norsk Hydro quickly became a popular workplace. There was good money to be made here, but much of the work was also very dangerous. For that reason, the labour movement also grew up here.
A work culture was created that left its mark on people and the society around them. A separate zone in the exhibition is set aside for this aspect. The exhibition also conveys the problems that came with the downsizing of Norsk Hydro in the 1960s, and the local community’s struggle to survive.
