Norwegian Institute of Bunad and Folk Costume

The Norwegian Institute of Bunad and Folk Costume (NBF) is a national centre of expertise specialising in the documentation, research and dissemination of bunads and folk costumes. In 2008, Valdres Folk Museum entered into an agreement with the Ministry of Culture and Church Affairs to run the Norwegian Institute of Bunad and Folk Costume, and the institute is therefore based in Fagernes. NBF has an advisory body, the Bunad and Folk Costume Council, which is appointed by the Ministry of Culture.

Our goal is to promote knowledge about bunads and folk costumes as expressions of cultural identity and about their use and production.

Thanks to fieldwork conducted throughout Norway, we have accumulated a comprehensive archive containing folk costume registrations, photographs, patterns and sketches as well as records  of traditional materials from different districts. Bunad wearers and makers can seek advice from us on using, dressing, sewing techniques and customising. Our advisory activities also extend to bunad reconstruction or revision projects.

Together without our partners, we offer practical training programme in bunad making (Bunadopplæringa). Visitors can have a guided tour of Fyrstedamer i bunad, our bunad exhibition which opened in 2021, and visit our archive (subject to advance booking).