Plans and dreams for Skien

Many of the goals are described in the comprehensive Ibsen 2028 strategy, which has been adopted by the municipality. In other words, it's going to get better and better to be in Skien - both for residents and visitors.

Here you can read about some of the goals. If you want to read the entire strategy, you can find it on the municipality's website here.

Realization of new arenas

• A return of the main house and air conditioning of the barn at Henrik Ibsen museum Venstøp has been realized.

Ibsen's childhood home at Venstøp is now being brought back to the way it looked when Ibsen actually lived there with skilled and careful hands. This requires solid historical knowledge and extremely good craftsmanship. In January 2024, NRK published a very nice article about bricklayer Eystein Greibrokk, who finds the restoration work so exciting that he has not been able to retire. You can read the article on nrk.no here.

The summer of 2024 is the last season the museum will be open before the anniversary year 2028, and also the last time you can experience the exciting Ibsen Escape Room. From 2025 to 2028, the museum will be closed due to extensive restoration work.

• The Ibsen Library with Ibsen Communication Center has been realized.

The Ibsen Library will be Skien's new meeting place and iconic building, inspired by Ibsen's drama. The library will house today's Skien library and the municipality's service center. Sølvåren, Ibsen's communication center, will also have a permanent home here. The library is scheduled for completion in time for the anniversary year 2028.

• The outdoor stage at Ibsenhuset has been realized.

Ibsenhuset has for several years held popular outdoor concerts under the name "Summer in the grove". A stage and technical equipment are set up outside the house, and the audience is seated in the immediate vicinity of the park with its large, beautiful trees.

In connection with the construction of the Ibsen Library, a permanent amphitheater with space for a stage will be excavated in the angle between Ibsenhuset and the new library. This is guaranteed to create more great summer memories for many years to come.

• Skien will have created more urban spaces that motivate cultural expression and experiences.

Skien already has a good cultural offering with a number of talented players and arenas, but there is still room for more. Do you have a good idea that will delight both residents and visitors to Skien? We are happy to help you with it. Send us an email at redaksjon@ibsenbyen.no.

Realization of content, capability and visibility

• Together and separately, the cultural and tourism sectors will have developed an attractive, year-round portfolio of content, experiences and services that can contribute to growth and value creation locally and a better overall offering for visitors. 

A lot of people are working on exciting things behind the scenes in Skien these days. You can only look forward to it!

Prepared for the anniversary

• In all relevant areas, Skien and the surrounding region will be rigged and equipped for a successful, high-quality Ibsen Jubilee in 2028.

The National Ibsen Year 2028 officially opens in Skien on Henrik Ibsen's birthday, March 20, 2028. The royal family and government will be in attendance, and Skien will be the center of the celebration of one of the world's foremost and most performed playwrights of all time. There will be a number of events in the days surrounding the opening, and a large audience from near and far.

Here at ibsenbyen.no, we will keep you updated on everything that happens leading up to the celebration.