Culture and history
 

Man's presence in the Maniitsoq area goes back at least 4.000 years. The first known culture is called the Saqqaq culture and dates back to 2.000 B.C. Remains from later eskimo cultures and even the Norse settlements (vikings) can be seen on many sites.
 
The eskimos were semi-nomads, but the Danish colonisation in the 18th century saw the first permanent settlements. Maniitsoq was founded as a trading post in 1755 with the Danish name Sukkertoppen (Sugar Loaf). The post was set up on the site now known as Kangaamiut. Sukkertoppen was moved in 1782 to its present site on the southeast corner of the Maniitsoq Island.
 
Maniitsoq Museum displays the history of Maniitsoq/Sukkertoppen with a large number of artifacts, including paintings, photos etc. The museum is situated in three old colonial buildings from 1840. These and one more building were removed from the harbour in the nineteen seventies and later reconstructed just outside town.

The large collection tells the history from the early Saqqaq culture, through the Norse settlements between 985-1.500 AC, to the latest eskimo settlements, known as the Thule-culture.
 
One of the buildings is an art-museum, where more than 250 paintings and sculptures made of wood, bone or stone are on exhibition.

MANIITSOQ MUSEUM
Illunnguit 11
3912 Maniitsoq
Tl: +299 81 31 00
Fax: +299 81 39 05
E-mail: tdch@maniitsoq.gl
 
Opening hours:
Weekdays: 9am to 4pm