The concept of leaving a legacy in the Host country started in 1994 with the 14th World Petroleum Congress in Stavanger. After the 1994 WPC in Norway the surplus funds of the Congress were put towards the creation and building of a state of the art Petroleum Museum in Stavanger. The Norwegian Petroleum Museum was opened by HM King Harald on 20 May 1999 and its unusual architecture has made it a new and exciting landmark in the port of Stavanger.
With a radical, modern architecture, built partly on land, partly in the sea from materials ranging from steel and grating to Norwegian granite, the Norwegian Petroleum Museum is the most ambitious museum ever built in Norway. With its many interactive, hands-on exhibits, it is intended to educate all those who would like to learn more about oil and gas and find out about the origins and developments in the Norwegian petroleum industry. It also features the Petroscope, the Museum's 'well of knowledge'. This is a place where everyone, but particularly school children and young people, can delve deeper into the themes and subjects covered by the museum's exhibitions. A full range of sources is available - from books and journals to video films, data bases and multimedia programmes. Since its inception it has already received over half a million visitors, increasing their knowledge of the exploration, production and use of oil and gas.
