We will repeat the voyage again in 2025
Sailing from Stavanger in Norway to New York.
To honor those who left in 1825 in the hope of a better life.
To give their descendants something to be proud of.
To offer an opportunity to reflect on those who are refugees today.
History must not be forgotten, and is highly relevant in light of the current situation in the world.
On July 4, 2025, the emigrant ship Restauration sets sail for New York, 200 years after the first Norwegian emigration in recent times.
This reminds us of an important part of Norwegian history and our earlier struggle for better living conditions.
Photo at the top: Frode Skarstein.
Project Organization
The planning of the 2025 voyage is handled by the management team at Restauration Crossings 200.
Project manager Ann Irene Sem-Henriksen together with the Technical team, Port team, Fundraising, Marketing and Financing, Communication and Media.
In addition to active members who contribute to the project through volunteer work, we also have a number of resource persons and companies who contribute and collaborate with us.
Goals:
- To follow the original route and experiences of those who sailed in 1825.
- To support the charity, Broken Dreams – A Light Of Hope
- To elevate the stories from the 1825 voyage into our interpretation as we approach 2025
- To highlight new perspectives and socially relevant issues in 2025
The national objectives in North America for the bicentennial commemoration:
- To celebrate the strong ties between Norway, the United States, and Canada
- To remember what it means to take great risks and trade one home for another
- To better understand the migration of peoples that continues worldwide today
The national objectives in Norway for emigrant commemorations in 2025:
- To raise awareness of emigration from Norway and shed new light on the history of Norwegian emigration
- To discuss today’s emigration and immigration in light of our own history
- Build closer ties between today’s Norwegians abroad and Norway
Sailing in 2025:
On July 4, 2025, RESTAURATION will begin her adventurous voyage towards New York, or America as they said in 1825, when 52 excited people started their 98-day journey towards a new and unknown future, arriving in New York City on October 9th.
More info about the voyage and timeline.
The crossing will be the largest event of the bicentennial commemoration of Norwegian emigration to America.
We invite you to become an active part of Crossings200, no matter what level of volunteering you are involved in. Whether you have extensive experience or are new to volunteering, your involvement is important. We want to bring together all the good forces to create a joint effort towards the sailing in 2025. A number of seminars will be held where we can explore together how we can take the project further, read more…
Your voice and your ideas are still important – we invite you to contribute! Feel free to send in your input or ideas to crossings200@annomuseum.no.
Illustration: Jens Flesjå
Supplies
With five meals a day (breakfast, lunch, dinner, supper, and afternoon coffee) for a crew of 11 over 98 days, a total of 5,390 meals will be served on board during the crossing.
If you or your company would like to contribute to provisions for the skipper and crew, please contact us at: post@restauration.no
- Coffee: Locally produced coffee from Rogaland Kaffehus.
- Komle: A hearty meal to keep us satisfied at sea, provided by Stangeland Mølle.
- Bread: From Rosekildehavens Bageri in Stavanger, established in 1778. Could they have been the ones supplying bread to Restauration in 1825?
Liv Ullmann Ambassador for the voyage
Liv Ullmann has accepted the role of Ambassador for the Restauration memorial voyage from Stavanger to New York in 2025, marking the 200th anniversary of the start of the great emigration from Norway to North America in recent times.
Upon arrival in New York on October 9, 2025, for Leif Erikson Day, Liv Ullmann plans to be present to welcome the ship.
Crew
Skipper: Kjell Morten Ronæs
Best man: Halvor Håvarstein
Other sailors – More info here…
The skipper and crew of the Restauration Crossings200 voyage will dress in sustainable, unique outfits tailored by Arak Work and Rehabilitation Center.
Sustainable outfits for skipper, co-sailors and guests on the Restauration Crossings200 voyage
By reusing old textiles such as tablecloths and curtains, we promote eco-friendly values and support Arak’s inclusive work for the long-term sick and disabled.
We are proud of this collaboration, which combines history, sustainability and community.
Fundraiser: Broken Dreams – A Light of Hope
The aim is to bring hope and light to some of those who are fleeing or in a difficult situation today.
More information to follow in January 2025.
Accompanying Art Exhibition
We carry art and pictures with us during the crossing to America, which symbolize our freedom of expression and cultural heritage that binds us to our homeland. These objects create a sense of community and identity, even on a long and uncertain journey.
Inside the “American Chest” on board
Through the contents of an “American Chest”, several stories from the voyage in 1825 will be brought to light – recreated and conveyed from a 2025 perspective:
- Freedom of expression and “Walk of Pain”
- Quaker candle
- A baby blanket
- Copper stone from the Visnes mines on Karmøy in Norway, which was used in the construction of the Statue of Liberty in New York
- An accompanying art exhibition
- Reenactment of the story “Moonshine and Potatoes”
- Red trip: A letter to America – Thank you for life Mary Claire
- The King of Chess Pieces
Events and Activities 24/25:
In the run-up to departure 4. July 2025, there will be many activities under the auspices of the ship and the Restauration Friends Association.
These activities will be shared on our Facebook pages and under News and Activities on this website.
What’s happening in North America?
Contributions and donations:
Join us in making the voyage possible!
Restauration Venneforening (Friends Association) invites the American and Norwegian people to support the voyage of the emigrant ship Restauration.
She sets sail for New York on July 4, 2025 to honor the first Norwegians who emigrated to America 200 years ago.
We are registered as a volunteer organization in “Frivillighetsregisteret” (The Volunteer Registry).
All the work in planning the 2025 voyage and in the Restauration Friends Association is carried out by volunteers without any form of payment.
Cultural Contributors
Many cultural stakeholders are working with Restauration to ensure that the national bicentenary and the voyage get the recognition they deserve.
Within e.g. music, art, literature, photography, film, food and drink.
Within music, we collaborate with the following:
- Kaizers Orchestra. In October 2024, they will go on a short tour of the USA.
- Mari Hauge, artist and songwriter from Stavanger. Read more…
- Klang av Oltid v/Gaute Vikedal, Norwegian musician, known for his work in contemporary music and folk music.
- Rita Eriksen, Norwegian singer from Sola.
- GHM Film AS, represented by producer Geir Mæland, with the aim of producing a documentary series that sheds light on Restaurationen’s unique place in Norwegian emigrant history. Read more…
Financial Contributors
To enable the preparations and execution of the voyage in 2025, we are entirely dependent on financial support.
This includes contributions from individuals and companies who recognize the importance and value of giving consideration to migration issues and the plight of refugees in today’s world, the close ties and cooperation between Norway and the USA, and our not-so-distant own history of striving for better living conditions.
Our largest contributors to the 2025 voyage so far are our annual corporate sponsors in Norway and a significant donation from an individual residing in the USA.
Please contact us if you or your company are interested in learning more about the benefits of becoming a partner.
And after the voyage?
After the emigrant ship and icon Restauration HAS replicated the historic voyage – engaging all of Norway and generating significant local involvement with support from many – it will be documented in Norway’s history books.
The objectives include increased regional and national pride, fundraising efforts for organizations that make a difference, and a focus on BRCA testing leading to increased hope and cancer survival.
Welcome on board Restauration Crossings 200 !
** More info about the video on top of this webpage:
Music by Juan Sánchez – Alma – https://thmatc.co/?l=063CB6D6
Acting and screenplay by Jørn Bjørn Augestad. Filming and editing by Isak Augestad.
Sloop Restauration was in recent times the first of many ships that sailed from Norway to the US with emigrants. It left Stavanger Harbour on July 4th in 1825, carrying 52 passengers who, during the 98 day long journey became 53 passenger when they arrived in New York on the 9th of October the same year.
This video is made as a short teaser.