The Whale
Andenes • Museum
Located approximately 300 kilometers north of the Arctic Circle on the island of Andøya near the village of Andenes — within sight of the Bleiksdjupa deep-sea canyon that draws sperm whales close to shore — The Whale is a cultural and scientific center designed by Danish practice Dorte Mandrup with Marianne Levinsen Landscape, Ralph Appelbaum Associates (exhibits), Norconsult and AT Plan & Arkitektur. The building emerges from the rocky shoreline as a single sculpted gesture: a parabolic roof formed by a series of curved steel-and-concrete ribs that span a column-free interior with limited points of support, engineered for the site's wind and snow loads and finished with locally sourced stone and vegetation so the structure visually extends the terrain. The accessible roof functions as a publicly walkable viewing platform sloping toward the Norwegian Sea and surrounding archipelago. Inside, exhibition galleries — devoted to whales and marine ecosystems — open through large glazed walls toward the water, alongside offices, a café, and a retail area, with outdoor paths and viewpoints extending into the landscape. The visitor attraction is currently under construction with an anticipated opening in 2027.
