900 Years of Childhood

Childhood history from the Middle Ages till today.

In this interactive exhibition we invite you to look at the connection between childhood and time. You look at how children's lives and our view of them has changed through the years.

The exhibition presents a timeline, looking at political, economic, social and cultural factors affecting children’s development. The exhibition also takes a deep dive into the lives of five pairs of children, and how these factors play a part in their lives, alongside their gender, social status and area of residence. The primary focus of the deep dives are connected to the local history of Stavanger, but the timeline does cover childhood history on a national level. The exhibition covers childhood from the Middle Ages, all the way till today.

All the sets of children are 10 years old when being presented, and act as representatives on behalf of their gender, area of residence and social standing at their time.

This exhibition presents historical stage settings, sounds, smells, films, activities, objects, illustrations and costumes that create a framework for learning about childhood in different historical periods.

What did medieval children worry about? What were the dreams of children in the 1880s? What was it like being a girl in the 1960s?

Two of the children you will meet are Kristin and Magnus who grew up in Stavanger in the Middle Ages: