An open-air sanatorium for the city's population

These were built and built under the auspices of the Åskomiteen in the years ca.1887-1917 and are still in daily use during the periods the season allows. This trail system stands out from other more or less developed hiking trails in Drammensmarka, and it makes them a shaped facility that becomes a clear cultural expression, almost a social sculpture before there was something called it.

The preparation of the path system was accompanied by a large-scale planting program of imported larch trees and cherry trees. Typically imported from Germany, for this project in our city is part of the Central European walking movement with roots in Swiss ranching and the German tree and forest romance. Per Otto Borgen's book, The Tale of Bragernesåsen (1996) is perhaps the most important source of knowledge about Åsen's creation.

The museum has been thinking for a long time about making a presentation of the hiking trails, but it fell out of our City Anniversary Exhibition in 2011. Now is the time, however, and we open the exhibition in the 150th anniversary of the Norwegian Tourist Association in 1868. A museum sees art history and surrounding culture in long timelines. We therefore want to show our local tax in an international and historical perspective. It goes all the way back to a reorientation in relation to the positive values that lay in the alpine landscape in Switzerland already in the 16th century, over the British and German interest in the sublime and the magnificent view at the end of the 18th century, the French development of organized , commercial hiking in the first half of the 19th century, the combination of nature conservation, botany and nature hiking in American culture in the second half of the 19th century and up to the German youth movement and the Wanderlust movement's Wanderlust in Germany in the early 20th century.

Gradually, hiking and strolling has become hiking, jogging and running. And the hiking gear has changed accordingly. In the middle of this complex of important events is our "Outdoor Sanatorium for the city's population". - The exhibition will show photographs, maps, books and booklets, paintings and printed matter. Hiking has shown tremendous durability, and the well-developed paths and roads still do the job they were intended to do.