Romsdalsmuseet receives magnificent gift of Kavli Moen Farm

Kavli Foundation donates Fred Kavli's childhood home, Kavli Moen Farm, to Romsdalsmuseet.

Kavli Moen Farm in Eresfjord is the childhood home of the entrepreneur and philanthropist Fred Kavli, who emigrated to the USA, after graduating at NTNU with a degree in Theoretical Physics in 1955. During the last four decades of the last century, he built up a large fortune through his company, Kavlico Corporation, a leading supplier of sensors to the aerospace and automotive industry.

After selling Kavlico in 2000, Fred Kavli established The Kavli Foundation, dedicated to advancing science for the benefit of humanity. The foundation’s mission is to stimulate basic research in astrophysics, nanoscience, neuroscience, and theoretical physics; strengthen the relationship between science and society; and honor scientific discoveries with The Kavli Prize. As part of its funding, the foundation also supports basic science through endowment of 20 Kavli Institutes located at universities and research centers internationally, including the Kavli Institute at NTNU. The Kavli Prize is awarded every other year in Oslo with the Royal Family and in partnership with the Norwegian Ministry of Education and Research and the Norwegian Academy of Science and Letters.

Before Fred Kavli died in 2013, he took over and carried out a complete renovation of his childhood home, Kavli Moen Farm in Eresfjord.

Since the beginning of 2021, Romsdalsmuseet has, by agreement with The Kavli Foundation, run the "Fred Kavli Knowledge Centre" at Kavli Moen Farm. In the spirit of Fred Kavli, the center has focused on entrepreneurship and research with activities like hosting the NTNU Kavli Institute's summer school.

After the transfer of property, Romsdalsmuseet wants to increase its focus on entrepreneurial history and entrepreneurial thinking making the centre a "hub" for this theme. Fred Kavli's unique life and history will be honored. An exhibition already exists at the centre to show his journey as an innovator and later an entrepreneur. Romsdalsmuseet also wants to mediate the cultural-historical background for its involvement in this. Entrepreneurship and innovation have a history with roots dating back to the Age of Enlightenment in the Romsdal region. In this context, it can be mentioned that the museum has an ongoing project with research into business history, supported by the Norwegian Directorate of Culture. The museum also wants to further develop existing collaborations with innovation companies such as Protomore and also develop new corresponding collaborations.

It was in connection with the Kavli Prize in 2022 that The Kavli Foundation Board of Directors visited Kavli Moen Gård and gave the signal that they wanted the Romsdalsmuseet to take over the place. In the summer of 2023, an agreement was signed between The Kavli Foundation and the museum, a license has been granted and from the turn of the year, Romsdalsmuseet will be the owners of the site.

Romsdalsmuseet would like to thank The Kavli Foundation Board Chair Rockell Hankin and President Cynthia Friend for a very good and fruitful collaboration over the past three years and would like to express profound gratitude for the magnificent gift the museum receives through the donation of Kavli Moen Farm.

- This donation is a milestone in the history of the Romsdal Museum, says a joint statement from chairman Anders Talleraas and director Hans-Olav Solli.

Photo: from left chairman Anders Talleraas, chef Bjørn Cameron Alexander, operations manager Marthe Steinsvoll and director Hans-Olav Solli.
Photographer: Johnny Bratseth, the Romsdal Museum.