Discover Ål: Art, history and riverside trails

Ål combines art and history with opportunities for walks and active pursuits. The Ål Kulturhus, the Hallingdalselva river and the area around Ål Bygdamuseum each reveal a different side of the destination. If you’re looking for hotels in Ål, these themes can be a starting point for planning your stay.

Art and history in Ål

The Nesch Museum at Ål Kulturhus features the world’s largest permanent public exhibition of works by Rolf Nesch. It includes drawings, paintings, prints, sculptures and material pictures. The variety of works makes a visit to the museum a highlight in its own right for anyone interested in art.

At Ål Bygdamuseum, 32 old buildings have been brought together in one place. The museum is part of the Hallingdal Museum and was built around a protected farmstead dating from the 17th century. It is just a short walk from the centre of Ål. This makes it easy to combine a museum visit with a walk from the town centre, while the historic buildings offer a different way to explore history than the art collection at Ål Kulturhus.

The Gullhagen trapping site is also among Ål’s cultural heritage sites. It features trapping pits and archery positions from the area’s former big-game hunting. An easy hike leads to the site, which is close to the town centre. The museum and the hike offer different experiences: one focuses on buildings and art, the other on a historic site in the landscape.

Trails and activities

Elvelangs is a walking trail that follows the Hallingdalselva river through the centre of Ål. The river shapes the route, making it a way to explore the town centre on foot. If you’d like to include a walk alongside museum visits, this offers a different focus from the hike to the Gullhagen trapping site.

For bouldering, Ål has Buldretanken, a small, self-service bouldering gym. It’s designed for short, flexible and social climbing sessions and has a digital Kilter Board wall. Its angle and difficulty level can be adjusted. Climbers can choose from more than 160,000 routes using the Kilter Board app. The adjustable wall and route selection let you shape your climbing session to suit you.

Cinema and sauna

Ål Kino is in the centre and shows a varied programme of current films for children, young people and adults. As the programme changes, check which films are showing before your visit.

A sauna for 15 people has opened at Tanken Arena in the centre of Ål, by the river. It is intended to be open to locals and visitors, with private bookings and drop-in visits planned as options. As booking arrangements may change, check in advance which option is currently available.

Also near the Ål destination is the sauna at Oppsjø Vasspark, close to the centre of Ål. It has room for eight people. The two saunas differ in their stated capacities; private bookings and drop-in visits are also listed as options at Tanken Arena.

Let the experiences you’re looking for in Ål guide your next travel plans.

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See the main travel overview: Ål.