Ludvig Holberg and Niels Klim’s Fantastic World

In Niels Klim’s Underground Travels from 1741, considered by many to be the first science fiction novel from the Nordic countries, the character Niels Klim falls into Mareminehollet – an actual cave in Sandviken, Bergen – and travels to 27 different worlds ruled by animals and trees.

From February to April 2026, Bergen Kunsthall will host an international exhibition based on the famous novel, which was originally written in Latin and acclaimed throughout Europe on its publication.

But who was Ludvig Holberg as an author? Professor of Nordic literature Jørgen Sejersted, professor and critic Tue Andersen Nexø, and curator of the exhibition Silja Leifsdottir will meet for a conversation about how Holberg challenges our perceptions of nature, society and gender. The conversation will be moderated by Gunnstein Akselberg, chair of the Holberg Society.

The audience is invited for a guided tour of the exhibition at Bergen Kunsthall after this conversation. Meet-up is at the reception by the Bergen Kunsthall main entrance after the event at the House of Literature is finished. The guided tour is free.

This event is free of charge and in collaboration with the Selskapet til Vitenskapenes fremme (The Bergen Society for the Advancement of Science) and Bergen Kunsthall.

The event will be held in Norwegian and Danish.