Made in Bodø - a reflection on the industry's past, present and future

Today, much of what we use and consume is produced far away – in China or elsewhere on the globe. But what has happened to us on the way there? What do we really live on today, and what can we learn from the past? 

Industry and manufacturing were once important to Bodø's growth and development. Workshops and factories formed the city's economic backbone, where local production played a crucial role in society. This history, marked by local production lines and craftsmanship, has helped shape the city and its inhabitants.  

After one year as Bådåddjo/Buvvda Musea, the City Museum is now returning to become the City Museum of Bodø . In 2024, the City Museum was temporarily transformed into a Sami museum, with the goal of highlighting the Sami presence in Salten. This project has had great significance for everyone involved and has, we hope, left a lasting mark on the Bodø community. Bådåddjo/Buvvda Musea stands out as one of the most comprehensive and successful initiatives in Norway within Sami cultural dissemination in 2024, in line with national goals. The many positive feedback from various Sami communities has been a great inspiration for both me and the entire staff.  

Back at the Bodø City Museum, the first major initiative will be the self-produced exhibition Made in Bodø . This project will give us a chance to explore and reflect on how the industry of the past can have an impact on the production and society of the future. How can we learn from history and use it to shape a more sustainable future?  

Photo: Workers at Bodø Aktie Brewery. Digital museum, Nordlandsmuseet.

From local production to global trade 

In the 19th and 20th centuries, Bodø, like many other cities in Norway, was a place characterized by local industry. Everything from handicrafts to machinery and tools were made here. The textile and food industries were directly related to what was produced in the countryside. Today, much of this production has moved to other parts of the world, and Bodø is no longer a hub of industrial activity.  

It is precisely this development that we want to highlight in our upcoming exhibition, Made in Bodø . The exhibition takes us on a journey through history, from the city's industrial heyday in the 19th century to the latter part of the 20th century, and shows how production has developed. Here we get the opportunity to see examples of material objects that represent what was produced in Bodø several decades ago – a picture of a time when much was made locally, and people could relate to production in a completely different way. 

A contrast to today 

When we stand today and look at most of the products that surround us – from clothing to electronics – few are made here in Bodø, or in Norway for that matter. China’s dominance as a manufacturing country has led to a drastic change in how we view both work and consumption. This contrast between the local production of the past and the global production of today is an important part of the exhibition. We want to shine a spotlight on how this development has affected us as a society – how working life has changed, how holidays and leisure have taken on new dimensions, how settlement patterns have developed, and how the economy and environment have been strongly influenced by globalization. 

Old advertising posters from Bodø businesses.

The effects on our society 

This development has not only had consequences for the economy, but also for the climate and the environment. What happens when we transport goods over long distances, and what have we really done to our own labor market when it has become more difficult to find jobs that are directly related to production in our own city? How does this affect our view of sustainability and economic responsibility? 

Made in Bodø is not just an exhibition, but a place for reflection and social debate. Through open meetings, seminars and lectures, we will invite a broader discussion about the challenges and opportunities we face today. How can we adapt in a world that is constantly changing, while taking responsibility for the environment and building a society that is more sustainable and just?  

Nostalgia and reflection 

The exhibition will also be an arena for reminiscence. For many who grew up in Bodø, it can be a way to recreate memories from a time when the city was a more industrial center, and where everyday life was closely linked to local production. But we also want visitors to be surprised – perhaps they will look at old objects and see them in a new light, and perhaps they will appreciate what we today take for granted in a completely different way. 

Audience participation and engagement 

We see Made in Bodø as a project to be built together with the public. We invite participation, remembrance and reflection. What do you remember from a time when industry and production were a bigger part of the city's life? We encourage everyone to contribute, either through personal stories or by sharing old photos and objects that can shed light on our common history. 

In the modern age, not many people work in factories in Bodø anymore. But there is a growing movement that sees the advantage of producing more locally, both for the economy and for the environment. There are several who have started small, sustainable production projects, and the question is: Is this just a trend, or is it a valuable competence that we must protect and develop? What can we learn from those who still produce today? Is it important that we take some of the production back into local hands? And what do those who take up the fight to produce locally in today's global economy think? Through the exhibition, we hope to create a platform for learning and debate for both young people, adults, politicians and new producers. 

The exhibition Made in Bodø gives us an opportunity to reflect on these themes. We are reminded of where we have been, what we have lost and what we can do in the future. It gives us the opportunity to discuss how we can adapt to a more sustainable future, both in terms of production and consumption. And perhaps most importantly: It gives us a space to reminisce, to be surprised and to learn – not only about the past, but about how we can shape the future. The exhibition opens in the autumn of 2025. 

- Chronicle by Ole J. Furset, director of the Nordlandsmuseet Foundation.