How should a society relate to the arms industry? This is the starting point for the EXLEGACY research project, which aims to examine and communicate the contested industrial heritage of ammunition production in Raufoss.

Raufoss has long been a hub for the Norwegian arms industry, and Nammo Raufoss currently employs over 1,200 people. At the same time, this part of history has been virtually absent from the region’s museums, which have focused more on farming culture.

This silence reflects the difficult position the arms industry has held in the national narrative of Norway as a "nation of peace".

Recent events, such as the defense industry’s increased significance following the invasion of Ukraine and the discovery of large quantities of dumped ammunition in Lake Mjøsa, demonstrate that this silent approach is unsustainable and have highlighted the need for a more open national conversation.

At the same time, the regional museum Mjøsmuseet’s acquisition of the Raufoss Industrial History Collections in 2025, including the archive from the Raufoss Ammunition Plant, has both created a need for a revised museum exhibition and opened new opportunities to explore its history.

EXLEGACY is a collaboration between NTNU, Mjøsmuseet, and Vestre Toten Municipality, funded by the Research Council of Norway.

The project will lay the groundwork for further revised exhibitions of the ammunition industry’s controversial cultural heritage.

The project will examine how the arms industry in Raufoss has been influenced by national strategies and what impact this has had on the local community. Additionally, the project will investigate how this controversial industrial heritage has been handled in museums and local cultural preservation efforts.