Our exhibitions

Herdla Museum is the natural gateway if you wish to become familiar with the island. The wreck of a German fighter aircraft tells of Herdla's role during the Second World War, complete with a torpedo battery which will take you back to the Cold War. 

Gold 16 - from fighter aircraft to cultural memorial

On the 15th of December 1943, the German fighter aircraft Yellow-16 took off from Fliegerhorst in Herdla. It returned 64 years later. You can see Yellow-16 in its own exhibition at Herdla fort. Here you can also learn the entire story of the aircraft's fate. 

A fascinating wreck

Gold-16 is exhibited in its own hall at Herdla fort. The wreck is fragile and deformed after a dramatic accident and many years on the seafloor, but it is still easy to identify as a Focke Wulf 190 – one of the most legendary fighter aircraft from World War II. An AV presentation tells the aircraft's story, from when it took off from Herdla in 1943, to its return in 2007. Weapons and other special parts are able to be studied in their own showcases. 

 

 

Facts: 

 

  • Gold 16 (Gelbe 16) was the operative callname of the aircraft.
  • Aircraft type: Focke Wulf 190 A-2
  • It crashed on the 15th of December 1943
  • It was found on the seafloor at Misje in May 2005
  • It was raised the 1st of November 2006

Herdla - nature and history

With Herdla Fort and the Gul-16 building as a starting point, you can get to know the little island with a lot of exciting things to offer. After a visit here, you will understand why Herdla has such beautiful beaches and such rich bird life. You will also get an insight into the island's dramatic war history.

Herdla - from naked rocks to manor and parish 

By the aid of a guided tour you will find out how the melting ice from inland formed the moraine island Herdla and led to early settlement here. You will also learn about the manor on Herdla, and the island's long history.

 

 

Birdlife

By means of binoculars you may observe the rich diversity of birdlife found on Herdla. You may spot many of the species typical for the island. You will also find information about the protected bird sanctuaries and what precautions you should take when visiting these areas. 

 

 

Fightercraft airport and coastal fort

The Gul-16 building is a good starting point if you wish to take a tour of the island to see traces of war time.

Herdla torpedo battery

Up until a few years ago, the torpedo battery was a top-secret defence facility. Today the fully equipped battery is protected as cultural heritage. Join one of our guided tours and experience the times of the Cold War.

A complete military installation

On the way down to the sea, you will learn of the military context in which the battery was used. The tour goes first into bunkers which were used to house support equipment, such as a radar and an EO-sensor. After, you will enter the command station, which is in its own mountain hall. Here you will learn about both the mine and torpedo weapons, as well as how a fort such as this one was organised. 

 

 

Practical information 

The guided tour starts by the aircraft hangar at Herdla fort, where you purchase tickets. The tour takes approximately 1 hour and 15 minutes. Since much of the tour is outdoors, it is important that you have appropriate clothing for the weather. A tour of the torepdo battery can been booked. 

 

 

Facts

 

  • Herdla torpedo battery was established by the German occupying forces, and was taken over by the Norwegian military after the war
  • The installation has undergone several moderisations, the last being in conjunction with the large refurbishment of the fort in the period 1987 – 1995.
  • In 2001 the battery was closed down, along with the rest of the coastal fort. During the closure process, it was decided that the battery would be preserved as one of four installations that together would represent the coastal military's history during the Cold War. 

 

Herdla Fuglestasjon

Herdla Fuglestasjon (bird station) was established in 2012 which was the first year for organised bird ringing through both the spring and autumn migration periods.

The aim for this activity was to produce new information about a part of the bird life at Herdla, which there was very little previous knowledge.

Historically, Herdla has been recognised for its rich bird life connected to the seashore and the flat Herdlaflaket. This location has for many years been known as the best place for bird watching in Hordaland, and there have been systematically collected observations from Herdla for 40 years. However, there has been very little information on the importance the area has for passerines although Herdla is likely to be an important location for both migration and for breeding.  When Herdla Fort was made available to the public, the ornithologists quickly signalled that they wished to use this area for environmental research to increase knowledge about the importance of the area for passerines, and the suggestion was to start organised bird ringing.

 

In total, 7644 birds have been ringed in the period 2013 - 2016. The species with the highest number caught is Common Redpoll with 1647 ringed individuals. In total have 71 species been ringed.

 

We regularly receive reports of re-traps of our birds both from Norway and abroad, which provides us with important knowledge about the migration patterns in the autumn and where they choose to over-winter. The ringing activity is a shared project between the Bergen Chapter of the Norwegian Ornithological Society and Bergen Ringing Group.

 

For more information, visit our homepage: http://www.fuglar.no/