The main purpose of The Brig of War Foundation is to increase understanding for an important part of Nordic history by rebuilding the brigg «Friderichsværn» in a proper historic environment. The project will focus on the establishment of Norway as a country and the Scandinavian neighbours as well, and how our national identities were built during the period 1814-1905. Emphasising Fredriksværn Verft (the first maritime base in modern times), the foundation wishes to shed light on the importance of the Navy for establishing our largest infrastructure –setting up organisations like the lighthouse-system, the pilot-service, the classification-systems (Veritas) and drawing maps. Interpreting traditional handcraft and tools are important in this process. The project includes plans for teaching various traditional hand-craft.

By building a shipyard consisting of small all-wood 1800 century style workshops where building techniques and use of material are as similar as possible to what it used to be, the yard itself will play an important part in the whole plan.

In the post-construction period, we have a functional shipyard in old style which can be utilised for boat-building and restoration, cultural activities such as film production, theatre, musical and opera performances, (authentic stage-design).

The idea for the whole project is also to give visitors the total experience in a correct time-frame where sense, vision, sound, smell, history and traditional craftsman-ship play an important role in an active and including museum. The work force (craftsmen and guides) will wear costumes. The overall purpose is to re-create this particular society of the 1800 century shipyard, a workplace and cultural institution.