The dream of Syden

In the Norwegian context, Syden is a collective term used to describe various southern destinations in a warmer climate, most often denoting Southern Europe and the Mediterranean region.

Today, information on “exotic holidays, adventure holidays, urban holidays, sun & sand holidays, cruises, etc., etc.” is readily available at Norwegian travel agents. Scheduled trips depart every day throughout the year.

Can you remember when the dream of holidays in “Syden” could only be realised through a bus journey throughout Europe? Do you remember pork barbecue parties and bad wine? Do you remember the small, cramped, and slightly seedy “hotels”?

A new section in the museum 

The exhibit aims to offer a humorous look at Norwegian charter travel to Syden. Perhaps it will be familiar to some, or perhaps some will at least recognise some of the myths relating to charter travels to Syden? We will also tell the story of how people’s holiday and travelling habits have developed and changed.

Why do people travel to Syden? What is Syden? Where is Syden? What does Syden mean to us? Where did people travel in the past? Where do we travel now? What is in and what is out, and why do some places fall in and out of style?

Aircrafts and aviation have made this form of travel accessible to the average Norwegian. Braathens’ first plane, a Fokker F-28, is therefore a natural part of this exhibit.

Sets, educational programme, and a “travel calculator”

This is Syden and provides a chronological historic timeline of the development of charter travel since the late 1950s. An artificial interactive lake is intended to “reset” the visitor. It contains fish, which “swim” away when someone wades or swims in the water. Her you’ll see different elements often found in Syden; a beach area and Southern European architecture with a balcony, a bay window, and window shutters. Everything comes alive with moving images on screens, sound showers, and an interactive travel calculator, which provides an opportunity to find destinations and prices for selected time periods. In this section a pedagogic programme directed at schools will be developed.
 

“What did we bring home?”

On the ramp leading down to the main exhibition hall the exhibit installation is entitled “What did we bring home?”. Here, we will look at various topics, such as two-way cultural influences, food customs, what we bought and brought home, holiday videos, smallfilm and photos, postcards, souvenirs, etc.

Come along on a trip to Syden

On board “Olav Kyrre” we address the development in charter travel and take a slightly humorous approach to the subject; such as excessive applause when the plane touches down, pork barbecues, entertainment, destinations, worldly Norwegians, etc., by a 4-5 minute film together with light and sound effects in the cabin.