Pappa – An Exhibition About the Kielland Children

February 20, 2025, Minister of Energy Terje Aasland opened the exhibition Pappa at the Norwegian Petroleum Museum. The exhibition will be on display until June before continuing as a traveling exhibition to various locations nationally and internationally.

Pappa sheds light on an often-overlooked aspect of the Kielland disaster – the children who were affected. Between 300 and 400 children lost their fathers or had fathers return home who were never the same. Many grew up in an environment marked by grief, silence, and financial uncertainty. Some were shielded from the truth, while others never got to say goodbye.

Today, these children are adults, but they still speak about how the disaster continues to shape them. The moment they first heard about the catastrophe. The shame of rejecting their father’s last hug. The whispers at school about how their mother had become rich, while in reality, the family struggled financially.

The support provided to survivors and bereaved families was inadequate – a fact confirmed by the Office of the Auditor General of Norway in 2021 and reflected in the stories we present. Pappa encourages reflection on how disasters impact not only the direct victims but also those around them.

The Norwegian Petroleum Museum has a responsibility to tell the full story of Norway’s oil history – not just one of prosperity and technological progress, but also of its costs. The stories in Pappa are painful, but they matter. This is not an exhibition you will enjoy, but it is one you need to experience.

The exhibition will be on display at the museum until June, after which it will travel to various locations both in Norway and abroad.