Around halfway between the E6 and the ferry crossing to/from the Lofoten Islands at Skutvik, along the Rv81, the Hamsunsenteret is a must for anyone with a vaguely literary bent. The daring architecture is one of northern Norway's most striking examples of contemporary design, while the museum commemorates the life of Knut Hamsun, who won the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1920. The museum covers his life and work with well-presented displays and helpful staff keen to promote Hamsun's works.
Thankfully, the museum doesn't avoid the difficult questions that surround Hamsun's life, including his support for Nazi Germany.
Hamsun moved to Hamarøy with his family at age three and later returned here for a number of his working years as a writer. If you've the time and the inclination, the road from Presteid to Skutvik has a number of Hamsun-related sites signposted, including the school where he studied, as well as some information boards by the roadside about local Hamsun landmarks.
