KRM

About the museum

Mansion and royal residence

Ledaal was built as a summer residence for the Kielland family in 1799 – 1803. The builder was the merchant and court agent Gabriel Schanche Kielland. It is now a heritage-listed site. The main building gives good insight into the lifestyle and taste of Stavanger’s upper class in the first half of the 1800s. The interior is richly furnished in the Rococo, Louis XVI, Empire and Biedermeier styles.

Stavanger Museum overtook responsibility for Ledaal in 1936. It was then restored to its appearance anno 1850, and the site opened as a museum in 1949. At Ledaal, you can learn about local history and the history of art, architecture and interior décor. In addition to being a museum, Ledaal today functions as a royal residence and venue for official municipal functions.

Gabriel Schanche Kielland was the great-grandfather of the well-known local author Alexander Kielland. The author himself never lived at Ledaal, but he was often a guest at the wonderful parties held at the mansion. In his novels, one can recognise aspects of what it was like to live here, the house itself and family members and others with a connection to Ledaal.

The main house has exhibitions on three floors. Unfortunately, these cannot accommodate wheelchairs. Neither can children’s prams be brought into the exhibitions.

To gain insight into 19th century interior décor and architecture as a whole, we recommend that you combine your visit to Ledaal with a visit to the ship-owner’s residence Breidablikk on the neighbouring property. The entrance ticket applies for both museums.