The subject arose because of the many technical improvements that took place at the turn of the century. Threading tables, punching machines, presses, decapitating machines and folding machines increased the production capacity considerably, transforming the mode of production from manual work into an industrial process. Thus the question arose of what to do with all the old equipment."…it is significant that the question be addressed before it is too late and the antiquated tools end up on the junk pile." (Stavanger Aftenblad, 20 October 1906)

Many people reacted positively to the idea, but no one actually managed to carry it out. The notion was gradually forgotten while the number of factories continuously increased and export of canned goods soared.

Even though the idea of a museum reoccurred several times during the following decades, it was only when the industrial recession set in that any weight came to bear on the matter. The majority of the production equipment, records and labels had by then been taken to the dumps.

In February 1975 some people noticed a short article in the Stavanger Aftenblad stating that the city antiquarian had proposed to the executive committee of the local council that a committee be appointed to research the possibilities of founding a ‘canning factory museum’.

The local council approved the city antiquarian’s proposal and a planning committee was appointed. The agent, Richard Johnsen, became chairman of the committee and was the motivating force behind the realization of the Norwegian Canning Museum.

The official opening of the new museum took place on June 28, 1982. It was thanks to responsible attitudes to conservation as well as to the generosity of the canning industry that it was possible to present a museum where the most important production equipment from the period 1880-1925 was displayed.