Museums

  • Bergen, Museums

    Visiting the Edvard Grieg Museum, Troldhaugen

    Visiting the Edvard Grieg Museum, Troldhaugen

    One of the most popular attractions in Bergen is the Edvard Grieg Museum, Troldhaugen, and rightly so: this charming house provides an incredible insight into the life of the famous composer, and you can fully immerse yourself in his music.

    Located 10 kilometres (6 miles) south of Bergen, it may seem a little daunting to reach. Most tour companies do include a visit to the museum, as do most cruise ships. For independent travellers, it’s possible to join a tour or explore on your own.

    A lot of people also don’t fully realise who Edvard Grieg is or why the museum is so important. I get those people a lot in my groups, but normally once we start exploring the museum or attend the lunchtime concert, their mind has totally changed! Even if you aren’t Grieg’s biggest fan, the museum is a lovely place to visit and essential when in Bergen.

    For this guide, I’m going to focus on what you see and what you can do. I’ve included an overview of the highlights of the museum, but if you are just interested in the practicalities you can skip to the bottom of the article. My goal is to help you make the most of Troldhaugen!

    In this article...

    Bergen Travel Guide
    Norway Travel Guide

    Edvard Grieg, Norway's Most Famous Composer

    Even if you don’t know the name Edvard Grieg, you certainly know his music. I think it’s important to know that when you think of Edvard Grieg, you don’t try to compare him to the masters like Mozart or Beethoven. Grieg isn’t that internationally renowned. What’s important about Edvard Grieg is that his music has become part of the Norwegian identity. Whenever Norwegians want to depict something as part of their culture or identity, Grieg’s music plays in the background. When you listen to his music, you see Norwegian fjords, mountains and nature. Edvard Grieg was born on the Nordnes Peninsula in 1843, and he quickly developed a natural talent for the piano. When he was a child, the famous Norwegian violinist Ole Bull (who I’ll also cover in more depth soon) heard him play, and actively encouraged that he study in Leipzig at the conservatory, which he did. After finishing his studies in Leipzig, Grieg moved to Copenhagen – the only place in the Nordics with a real active arts scene. While in Copenhagen he met Norwegian composers and artists, including Bull, and became influenced by the national romantic movement occurring in Norway at the time. He decided to move back home.

    Edvard Grieg’s music became almost instantly famous due to the way he blended European trends with Norwegian folk music.

    “To paint in music Norwegian nature, Norwegian folk music, Norwegian history and Norwegian folk poetry appears to me to be the sphere where I can achieve something.” Edvard Grieg

    Edvard Grieg became a major success when he started working with Henrik Ibsen to write music for the stage play Peer Gynt. The play debuted in Oslo on the 24th of February 1876 and became an immediate success. Grieg published the work for Peer Gynt in 1888 and 1893, and the two Peer Gynt suites are among the most played orchestral pieces in the world.

    Edvard Grieg passed away in 1907 of chronic exhaustion. he was 64 years old.

    Troldhaugen

    The plan to build a house in Bergen came around the time Grieg was working as a conductor for the Bergen Philharmonic Orchestra between 1880-1882. He and his wife, Nina Grieg, had developed a close relationship with Frants and Marie Beyer and they started considering building a house together. After the Grieg’s left Bergen, the Beyer’s built their own home in the countryside.

    Originally, they had planned to build a second home on the same plot of land, but they quickly realised that it would be too crowded. The Griegs purchased a neighbouring plot of the land from a farmer for 2,300 NOK. Frants (who was a lawyer) drew up the contract, which ensured the farmer would not sell any adjoining property without informing the Griegs, and that he would prevent sheep from grazing on the property.

    Designing Troldhaugen

    When it came to designing the villa, Edvard and Nina wanted it to resemble a simple Norwegian farmhouse. They also travelled a lot around Europe, so they were also inspired by Victorian architecture, which was trendy at the time. The house was designed by Schak Bull, Edvard’s cousin.

    The house has a base area of approx. 100m2 and is three floors. The basement has a flower room, wine cellar, larder and storage. There were two entrances on the ground floor: a kitchen entrance and the main entrance. On the top floor are the main bedroom, a guest bedroom, two walk-in wardrobes, and the stairs to the tower. There was no running water or toilet facilities; these facilities are in the small neighbouring building. The Grieg’s had to pump water to the kitchen from their well.

    House-turned-museum

    After Edvard passed away in 1907, Nina continued to return to the house in the summer. Often friends and family would join her so the house felt less lonely. During the first few years after his death, Nina ran something of a summer academy at Troldhaugen; inspiring composers would come to the villa to write music, and established composers would visit to help understand Grieg’s music.

    Grieg’s music publisher in Germany had been Nina’s main source of income, but when World War I began contact was severed. She had planned to donate Troldhaugen to the municipality, but they declined the offer. At the age of 74, Nina saw selling Troldhaugen as her only option. The most valuable objects were placed for safekeeping at the Bergen Philharmonic Orchestra, the Bergen Museum of Art, and the West Norway Museum of Decorative Art. Everything else was sold off at auction. In 1918, the house was sold to Joachim Grieg, a relative of Edvard Grieg.

    Many people in Bergen wanted to turn Troldhaugen into a memorial. A few years after purchasing the villa, Joachim Grieg had documents drawn up giving Troldhaugen to the municipality. The condition was that Troldhaugen was to be used “for purposes in harmony with Edvard Grieg’s intentions and worthy of Troldhaugen’s traditions.” The municipality accepted the gift and established a committee that would restore the villa and collect the objects. They had Nina’s approval.

    Recreating the museum

    For the next 10 years, the committee worked to collect the objects that had been auctioned off and had the objects that were in safekeeping returned. They wanted to re-create the Grieg home, putting everything back in its place. One of the most important returns was the composer’s hut, which was shipped back from the Folk Museum in Oslo.

    Troldhaugen opened to the public in 1928 and was an instant success. Nina was there on opening day. She brought the Moscheles edition of Beethoven’s sonatas that Edvard used as a seat. She took it down to the composer’s hut and placed it on his piano seat.

    The last time Nina visited Troldhaugen was when the Norwegian Radio recorded a concert there in 1932. Nina listened to the music of her husband as she sat on the sofa under her family portraits. Afterwards, she shared some thoughts with the audience, about how Edvard’s music took form at Troldhaugen. Nina passed away three years later.

    The property has been expanded since it first opened; the concert hall, Troldsalen, opened in 1985 with the Norwegian royal family attending, and then in 1995 a museum building was added.

    Now it’s time for you to visit Troldhaugen.

    What to see at Troldhaugen

    When you first arrive at the property, you will be about 400m away from the main museum building. To get there, you walk along the same unpaved road the Grieg’s took when they returned home. Along the way, you’ll see beautiful twisted beech trees, the old house that belonged to the farmer who owned the land, and a massive villa built by shipbroker Alexander Grieg in 1917.

    Before reaching the main museum building, you’ll see Gunnar Torvund’s Grieg monument ‘Open 1’. It was unveiled by King Harald when the museum building opened in 1995.

    The Main Building

    The main building has the ticket counter, cafe, shop & a film room. I really recommend the film room – it’s a hit with my groups – as it plays a 25-minute movie of Edvard Grieg’s ‘greatest hits’ with images of Norway as the background.

    Indoor Exhibition

    In the main building, you can also find an exhibition with some items from the Grieg’s life and travels. Items include artworks, clips of his hair (!), his travel trunk, and much more. 

    Concert Hall

    Once you leave the main building, you’ll start walking to the house. Along the way you pass the concert hall, Troldsalen, a contemporary building with a grass roof. Troldsalen was completed in 1985 and is renowned for its acoustics for chamber music. The building was designed to blend into the environment, and it looks out over the composer’s hut. There is seating for 200 people, and between May and September, it’s possible to attend a lunchtime concert there. More on that below.

    The house

    Once you are standing on the bridge, the house comes into plain sight. This is one of the best places to take a photo!

    To get to the entrance, you walk to the left of the house and up the stairs. I’m not going to cover every object in the house, but I’ll provide a short overview of some of the interior highlights.

    • The Memory Room: The ‘memory room’ was originally the kitchen. When the Bergen Festival began in 1953, Sigmund Torsteinson, the first director of Troldhaugen, wanted to give visitors a richer experience of Edvard Grieg. So, they turned the kitchen into a memory room. The room has been filled with objects that belonged to Troldhaugen and provide an insight into the Grieg’s life. Here are some highlights.
    • The Dining Room: This room is completely authentic, with all the original furniture. You can also see the original ceiling height in this room.
    • The Sitting Room: This room has Grieg’s Steinway piano, the family portraits, and some lovely furniture.

    The gardens

    The composer’s hut is located down by the water, a few minutes walk from the house. You can look through the window (but not go in) and see where Grieg would write his music. He used the composer’s hut frequently when he stayed at Troldhaugen, and whenever he left he would leave a note on his desk saying:

    “If anyone should break in here, please leave the musical scores, since they have no value to anyone except Edvard Grieg” Edvard Grieg

    The hut was built in 1891 and includes a piano built by Brødrene Hals in Kristiania. A thick book lay by the piano stool, containing 32 sonatas of Ludwig von Beethoven, edited by Grieg’s piano teacher in Leipzig, Ignaz Moscheles. It provided the small composer with added height so he could reach the keyboard.

    When the house was sold, the composer’s hut was moved to the Norwegian Folk Museum in Oslo. However, a clause was included that reserved the right to move it back to the original location at Troldhaugen should it ever be made into a museum, which happened in 1928.

    The grave site

    The gravesite is located on the other side of the hill from the composer’s hut, down by the lake. When you reach the lake, the gravesite is up on the side of the cliff. The spot was chosen by Edvard; when he was out fishing with Frants Beyer one day, the last rays of the sunset hit that spot on the rock. “There I would like to rest forever,” said Edvard. The funeral was held on 9 September 1907, and over 40,000 people came to pay their respects.

    The cove where Frants Beyer’s house used to be is visible from this spot; it is no longer there but the street has been named after him.

    Practical Information

    If you are planning on visiting Troldhaugen, I strongly recommend making the most of it. You can’t just have a quick visit to Troldhaugen; you need to do everything the museum offers. Go for walks around the cove, watch the movie in the film room, have a coffee, attend the lunch-time concert, and so on. Visiting the house along doesn’t do it justice; you have to immerse yourself in his music. That’s when Troldhaugen comes to life!

    Groups & Tours

    • Tour Companies & Cruise Ships: If you are visiting Bergen with a tour company or cruise ship, it is very likely they will offer a tour to Troldhaugen with a concert. Some companies have private concerts, while some attend the lunchtime concert. While the prices for cruise ships can be steep, I highly recommend doing their tours. The Troldhaugen public tour (see below) is cheaper, but you are mixed in with a lot of people and you lose the personal experience.
    • Guided Tour with the Museum: The museum offers its own tour of Troldhaugen, starting every day at 11am from the tourist information centre in Bergen. A bus transports you to do the house, you have a guided tour of the villa followed by some free time to explore on your own, and then you attend the 1pm lunchtime concert. You arrive back in the city centre at 2:30pm. The cost is 290 NOK per person.To read more about the tour, click here.

    On Your Own

    • Driving: Troldhaugen is fairly easy to reach if you have a car. There is free parking at the museum, but keep in mind during summer there will be many tour buses there. Simply put “Troldhaugen” into the GPS or Google Maps.Time: 15-20 minutes Cost: A couple of toll booths, petrol. Parking is free.
    • Taxis: You can take a taxi to/from Bergen, but it will cost a bit of money. Expect it to cost at least 200 NOK from the city centre one way. You can find taxis all around the city centre, but you will have to order one from the museum as there’s no taxi rank.Time: 20 minutes Cost: At least 200 NOK, more for ordering a taxi
    • Public Transport: Public transport is certainly possible, but be prepared to walk for 20-30 minutes through hilly suburbia. To get there, you take the Bergen Light Rail from the city centre (Byparken) to the station ‘Hop’. Follow signs to Troldhaugen from there.Time: 45-60 minutes Cost: 39 NOK for a public transport ticket. Machines at the Light Rail stop.

    Lunchtime Concert

    I 100% recommend attending the lunchtime concert, but keep in mind that you should probably book it in advance.

    The concerts involves a Norwegian or international pianist performing Edvard Grieg’s music on a piano for 30 minutes. Sometimes the pianists explain each piece in between or some just play for the full 30 minutes.

    You can find a schedule of pianists here: http://griegmuseum.no/en/concerts/lunchtime-concerts

    Facilities at the Museum

    • Souvenir Shop: I love a good souvenir shop. Here are some highlights at the Troldhaugen shop:
      • The movie that plays in the film room (not region locked)
      • A wide selection of CDs
      • A lot of stationary
      • Many books in many different languages. Most are biographies of Edvard Grieg
      • Sheet music
      • Umbrellas
      • T-shirts
      • Puzzles
      • Grieg’s lucky frog
      • Troll plush toys
    • Cafe: The cafe has a small but good selection often including wraps, soup of the day, waffles, ice cream, coffee, tea, and cold drinks.

    Opening Hours & Tickets

    For all the up-to-date information regarding opening hours and tickets, check out the Troldhaugen website. https://griegmuseum.no/en

    Bergen Travel Guide
    Norway Travel Guide
  • Museums, Oslo

    Exploring the Museums in Oslo on Bygdøy

    The Bygdøy Museums

    Oslo is one of the best places to visit in Norway if you’re a museum junkie, and what makes it even better is that the major ones are located practically next door to each other! There are six museums in Oslo that focus on Norwegian culture, history and industry are located on a peninsula called ‘Bygdøy’. These museums are must-see’s for anyone visiting the Norwegian capital, but at first glance can seem a bit confusing; I’ve always found it tough to explain to groups, so I decided to sit down and map out exactly what you should see as well as how to do it. This is what I’ve put together. 

    In this article...

    Oslo Travel Guide
    Norway Travel Guide

    What is Bygdøy?

    Bygdøy is a peninsula located just outside Oslo’s city centre. The name comes from an Old Norse term that means ‘built district on the island’ as the peninsula was originally an island (the land has been rising). Due to its proximity to the city, real estate here is expensive: a small apartment will cost you $1 million USD, while a house will cost several million. In 2013, a house went on the market for $20 million USD, breaking records.

    The most known museums in Oslo are located on Bygdøy.

    The Royal Summer Residence & Oscarshall

    Bygdøy hasn’t just attracted the wealthy; it is also home to the Norwegian Royal Family’s summer residence (you will see it if you take the public bus to or from Bygdøy). It’s believed that the land has been used by Norwegian monarchs almost continuously since 1305. The estate, Bygdø Royal Farm, was originally built in 1733 for the Danish governor, but after the establishment of a Swedish-Norwegian union, King Charles III purchased the land from the government. King Oscar I built the palace Oscarshall (visible from the main highway to Bygdøy & the ferry) on the grounds. King Oscar II constructed residences and also established the Norwegian Folk Museum on the ground. After Norway became independent in 1905, King Haakon VII and Queen Maud lived at the estate while the Royal Palace was refurbished. Since then, it has served as a summer residence for the royal family and is actively used every summer.

    Today, Bygdøy Royal Farm is one of the best examples of an upper-class 18th-century country house in Norway. It has ceased its function as a royal farm; King Harald handed over the user rights of the farm to the Norwegian Folk Museum, who are actively preserving it.

    What does Bygdøy look like?

    Museums Oslo Bygdøy

    The Museums at Bygdøy

    There are six museums you can visit at Bygdøy. Three of them focus on Norway’s seafaring and exploring the history and the other three focus on Norway’s history and culture.

    Here’s my quick overview of the museums, numbered according to the map above. I’ve also included some tips about each museum. 

    Norwegian Folk Museum (Norske Folkemuseum)

    The open-air museum contains over 140 buildings, sorted according to their county in Norway. Most notable is the Stave Church, which was relocated from the village ‘Gol’ in the 19th century. The museum has an excellent exhibition on the indigenous Sami population, as well as Norwegian farming culture. During the summer months, actors walk around the museum providing additional information and activities on the old ways of life.

    Note- this museum takes 2-3 hours to explore fully and involves walking and hills. Not recommended on a rainy day. Viking Ship Museum

    Viking Ship Museum

    One of the most popular museums in Norway, the Viking Ship museum lets you get up close to real Viking ships from around the year 800 AD – and they are 96% original! Three ships are inside the museum, and there’s also an exhibition with the goods that were found in the ships when they were discovered in the 19th century. This is an unmissable museum, but keep in mind its popularity draws large crowds.

    Notes- the souvenir shop is excellent! Bags cannot be taken into the museum. The ticket gives you free admission to the Historical Museum within a 48 hour period. Recommended visiting time: 45 minutes – 1 hour.

    Kon Tiki Museum

    The Kon-Tiki Museum is all about the exploration and research of Thor Heyerdahl, who is famous around the world for his crossing of the Pacific Ocean on the balsa-wood raft Kon-Tiki in 1947. Inside the museum, you can see the original Kon-Tiki, the Ra II, as well as artefacts from Easter Island, Fatu-Hiva and the Galapagos. The Academy Award-winning Kon-Tiki documentary is screened every day at 12pm.

    Note- Combo tickets can be purchased for the Maritime Museum & Fram Museum. This museum sells ferry tickets back to the city. Recommended visiting time: 30-45 minutes

    Image result for fram museum

    Fram Museum

    The Fram ship is famous for its expeditions to the North and South Poles. The museum has excellent exhibitions about these expeditions, and you can also walk onto the Fram and see how the crew lived and worked together. There’s also an introductory film about the expeditions. This is my favourite museum!

    Note- Excellent cafe and souvenir shop, which has an extensive book collection and lots of Arctic-themed souvenirs. Recommended visiting time: 1.5 – 2 hours

    Image result for maritime museum

    Maritime Museum

    The museum covers Norway’s maritime history (makes sense) and has exhibitions about the Hurtigruten, maritime art, and the shipping industry.

    Note- has a great cafe! Recommended visiting time 30-45 minutes.

    Holocaust Centre

    This is the centre for Studies of the Holocaust and Religious Minorities – it’s more of a research centre than the museum. The building is the former residence of Nazi collaborator Vidkun Quisling. There is an exhibition about the Nazipolicy of mass murder with special focus on the fate of Norwegian Jews.

    Note- Long walk from the other museums. There is a Jewish Museum in Oslo if you want to learn more about Jews in Norway. There is a Resistance Museum in the city if you want to learn more about World War II.

    How to Get Here

    Option 1: Take the ferry

    white line on the map.

    The Bygdøy ferry runs from Oslo’s City Hall and stops twice at Bygdøy: Dronningen & Bygdøynes. The journey has incredible views of the Oslofjord, Akershus Fortress & Oslo city. The walk from Dronningen to the Viking Ship Museum may be a little long for some, but the Bygdøynes stop is right behind the Kon-Tiki/Fram museums.

    The ferry doesn’t run all year: it runs from 15 March – 13 October. Keep this in mind when planning your trip!

    One Way Ticket Cost: Adults 50 NOK (Seniors + Kids 50% off)

    Round Trip Ticket Cost: Adults 75 NOK (Seniors + Kids 50% off)

    Tickets can be bought on board (10 NOK more expensive), at the ticket office on the pier, or at the Kon-Tiki Museum. If you have the Oslo Pass it’s free – you just have to show the pass on board.

    Note – last year some of my groups had issues with the ferry being over-crowded during the high season, resulting in delays.

    Timetable

    Note – this timetable is from 2019. Hopefully they will publish an updated 2020/2021 timetable.

    The pier at City Hall is easy to find: there’s a big sign saying “Ferry to the Museums”. Otherwise, look for pier 3. The Dronningen stop is signed from the Folk Museum, but it can be a little tricky to find (try to use Google Maps or the map). The Bygdøynes stop is also not marked, but you can see the pier from the Kon-Tiki & Fram Museums. The ferry is a pastel-yellow colour.

    Image result for bygdøy ferry

    Option 2: Take the bus

    Navy line on the map

    The public bus network Ruter operates from the city centre to Bygdøy. The bus you are going to want is Bus 30.

    City Centre – Bygdøy

    The bus departs from both the central train station (Jernebanetorget) and the National Theatre before heading towards Bygdøy. It will stop four times on Bygdøy: Folkmuseet (Folk Museum), Viking Ship Museum, Bygdøynes (Fram, Kon-Tiki, Maritime) and Frimurerhjemmet (closest for Holocaust Center) before terminating at Huk.

    Bygdøy – City Centre

    If taking the bus back to the city from either the Viking Ship Museum or the Folk Museum, simply wait for the bus heading to Nydalen and get off in the city at the stop best for you.

    It’s a bit trickier if you are leaving from Bygdøynes (Fram, Kon-Tiki, Maritime). The only bus that stops there is going to Huk. Get on the bus and get off at Frimurerhjemmet. From there, cross the street and wait for the bus heading towards Nydalen. This saves time and is better than travelling all the way to Huk and then waiting for the bus to turn around.

    The journey from Bygdøy to the National Theatre (and vice versa) takes around 15 minutes. The buses come every 10-15 minutes depending on the time of day.

    Tickets

    If you have the Oslo Pass, the bus is free.

    If you need to buy a ticket, a single adult ticket is 36 NOK for one hour of travel. Seniors & kids are 18 NOK for one hour of travel.

    Tickets can be bought at kiosks and ticket machines. There are plenty of these in the city, but none at Bygdøy – if you are travelling this way, I’d recommend picking up a 24-hour card in the city before coming out. You can buy tickets on board, but you must pay in cash. Otherwise, if you have a phone you can download the Ruter app and use it to buy tickets.

    Option 3: Walk/Cycle

    green line on the map

    The Oslo bike share bysykkel is located throughout Bygdøy and the city centre, and with that, you can cycle to or from the peninsula. To use the bikes, you will need to have the app on your phone.

    If you are up for it, walking takes around 1 hour 15 minutes from the Folk Museum to the City Hall. Honestly, I wouldn’t recommend it. Once you are past the summer residence you walk alongside the main freeway into Oslo, which is noisy and not very nice. You do, however, walk along the water.

    Getting Around Bygdøy

    Say you start at the Viking Ship Museum and want to walk to the Fram Museum – how doable is it?

    Pretty doable!

    The walk between those two museums takes around 20 minutes, and you walk through the neighbourhood, giving you the chance to check out these upper-class Bygdøy homes. It’s not well signed for pedestrians; however if you keep an eye on the road signs, they point towards the museums. It is a little hilly in some places. The public bus follows the same route as the walking path, so as long as you can see where the public bus (or the countless tour buses) is going, you are fine!

    If you have a bus ticket, you can also easily take the public bus between the museums.

    Eating at Bygdøy

    If you are after a quick bite to eat, the best museum cafeteria’s are at the Fram Museum and the Maritime Museum – both have simple sandwiches and pastries. For more sit down cafes, there is a great one at the Folk Museum. However, my favourite place to go to is Cafe Hjemme hos Svigers. Located between the Viking Ship Museum & Fram Museum, this cosy cafe has excellent sandwiches, salads, and small meals. The owner is typically always around for a chat, and the food is incredible considering how quick they prepare it. The cafe also doubles as an antique shop! I’d really recommend it if you need a break from the museums and want to try somewhere more local.

    FAQ’s + tips

    How crowded does it get at Bygdøy? During the summer, it gets very crowded. It’s not uncommon to see a dozen tour buses outside the Viking Ship Museum as it opens. Most tour groups visit the Viking Ship Museum & Kon-Tiki Museum, and they typically do so in the morning. If you can wait to the late afternoon, I’d 100% recommend visiting then. The Folk Museum can get crowded during the summer break as it’s very popular with kids

    Should I use the hop-on hop-off bus to get to Bygdøy? I honestly wouldn’t recommend it. I understand the comfort of knowing how the bus works, having it in English, and it being catered to tourists, but the public bus is cheaper and provides a more local experience.

    Can I do Bygdøy in a day? Technically, yes you can. However, you will be rushing through the museums. In 2018 my husband and I got a 24-hour Oslo Pass and did Bygdøy in a day. We started at the Folk Museum and then went to the Viking Ship, Kon-Tiki and Fram Museums – taking the bus to Bygdøy and the ferry to the city. We didn’t really focus on information at the museums and barely saw the Folk Museum. We were also exhausted by the end of the day. But it is possible!

    Have a question? Let me know!

    Resources for Museums in Oslo

    https://www.visitoslo.com/bygdoy

    Oslo Travel Guide
    Norway Travel Guide
  • Museums, Oslo

    Why You Should Absolutely Visit the Viking Ship Museum in Oslo

    Important: The Viking Ship Museum is closed for renovations until 2027

    The Viking Ship Museum in Oslo

    No trip to Norway is complete without seeing something to do with Vikings. Luckily, it is the Viking Ship Museum in Oslo can provide the Viking fix you need. Focusing on three Viking ships and their burial sites, the museum provides an incredible insight into the life of the Vikings, which is much more unique than many other museums which focus on their trading history. Instead, this museum focuses on what they found important to them, how they respected the dead, and how they viewed the after-life. Probably the most popular museum in the country, it’s hard to pass up a chance to see real Viking ships in person.

    In this article...

    Oslo Travel Guide
    Norway Travel Guide

    About the Museum

    The museum focuses around three Viking ships that were uncovered in areas around the Oslofjord from the late 19th to early 20th centuries. The ships, titled Tønsberg, Oseberg and Gokstad (after where they were found), are the best-preserved Viking ships in the world.

    Besides the ships, there’s also an excellent exhibition with the items that were found in the Viking ships. They are placed together to provide an incredible insight into how people were buried and what each item meant in the afterlife. There are also two graves – a man and a woman – that were uncovered with the ships.

    Important: Renovations at the Viking Ship Museum

    From autumn 2021, the Viking Ship Museum will close for five (!) years for a major renovation. Why? The current building and huge increase in traffic is causing the ships to decay at a fast rate. A new building will house the ships and protect them much better.  They have a whole website with information about the new museum, but it’s all in Norwegian. Here are some highlights:

    • The new museum will be completed in 2025 (I think this will be delayed. 2024 confirmation: Yes, this was delayed!)
    • The new building will be climate regulated
    • The new museum will be three times as large as the old one
    • This will be an extension to the current building

    The Three Ships

    The Oseberg Ship

    The Oseberg Ship is 96% original. It was excavated in 1904-1905 in what is considered the world’s largest burial site. Parts of the ship date back to 800 AD, but recent research indicates that the ship may be much older. This ship is the most popular for a reason; it so clearly evokes the power and strength of the Vikings and their seafaring capabilities. Spend some time admiring this beauty.

    The Gokstad Ship

    The second of the three ships you will see is the Gokstad Ship. This is the largest of the three ships and was uncovered in 1880. Inside this grave, they found a skeleton of a man in his 40s-50s with a powerful build. Some items were also found here, including small boats, a tent and riding equipment. While looking less like a Viking ship and more like a regular boat, it’s still impressive to see.

    Be sure to walk past it to the end of the room, where you’ll see the two skeletons that were uncovered with the ships. The man mentioned above as well as a 25-30 year-old woman.

    The Tune Ship

    Opposite the Gokstad ship is the third ship – Tune. This is the least complete of all the ships but was the first excavated in 1867.

    Behind the ship is one of the burial tends that was uncovered during the excavations. This is interesting to look at; especially how elaborate these graves were. Here you’ll see the smaller boats that were excavated along with the large ships.

    What You Can See in the Museum

    Watch the short film

    A newer addition to the museum, there is a short film that plays on the ceiling above Tune three times an hour. The film, which has music but no words, provides an overview of the life of a Viking and Viking ship, from the time the ship is built to the time the Viking dies in battle and is buried. It’s an okay film and worth stopping for if you are there when it starts.

    Explore the additional exhibition

    The last corner of the museum is the exhibition, where various textiles, chests, jewellery pieces, and statues from the burial sites have been put on display. Information boards in Norwegian, English and German provide useful information into what the object is, as well as why it was buried with the individual. This part of the museum is where you’ll spend most of your time. See some images below – the best room in this exhibition is the textile room, but sadly images aren’t allowed there. Also, the glass cabinets make photo-taking a little tricky. But, of course, it’s much better in person 🙂

    Facilities & Practical Information

    Shop

    I love a good souvenir shop, and this one certainly delivers. Think of it as ‘Viking overload’ if you can put a Viking on it, it’s for sale. There’s even a Donald Duck cartoon about the Oseberg ship. The book selection is the best in the country – most of the books are in English and cover everything (and I mean everything) about the Viking Age. I have bought a book on the Vikings in Norway, Norse Mythology, Snorre Sturluson’s Sagas, and one about a Queen called Emma (it felt fitting). There are t-shirts, posters, Viking helmets, keychains, magnets, figurines, statues, and so on. Prices are typical of Norwegian museums.

    Museum Guidebook

    If you are looking for a museum guide, the shop sells a book called The Viking Ships in Oslo. It uses some of the information from the signs around the museum, but also builds on the discovery and excavation of the ships, the design and build, the symbolic details, and how the ships are being preserved. It’s more novel than museum guide and not something you will read while in the museum, but it does provide an excellent insight into the ships, Honestly, after reading the book, I just wanted to go back and take another look at the ships – not something everyone will be able to do.

    The book costs 69 NOK

    Museum Brochure

    The museum has a brochure that it shares with the Historical Museum, and it mostly provides an overview of the exhibitions in each museum. The information about the ships is the same as the information boards.

    Languages

    The museum has information boards in English, German & Norwegian. The brochure is available in more languages.

    Notes

    Crowds in Summer

    The Viking Ship Museum is the most popular in Oslo, and when you go (especially during summer) there will be other people there. Almost every cruise ship offers excursions there, and almost every tour group goes there. It gets crazy packed.

    If you want to avoid crowds, either visit out of season (Oct-April) or go in the evenings. Most tour groups & cruise ships do their tours between 8:30am and 12pm or maybe in the afternoon around 1pm-2pm. In summer the museum closes at 6pm.

    Tickets & Security

    As soon as you enter the building, the ticket office is immediately to your right (there may be long queues blocking the door). You scan your Oslo Pass, or pay for your ticket, at the ticket office.

    Afterwards, there is a ticket inspector before you are able to enter the museum. This is not museum staff; rather, it is a security guard.

    Bags are not allowed inside the museum. The security guard will be checking this, and you will have to leave your bag outside in a locker if he catches you. Be on the safe side and put your bag inside the locker before queuing to enter the museum.

    When you buy your ticket it gives you free admission to the Historical Museum, provided you use it within 48 hours.

    Practical Information

    Opening Hours

    • 1 October – 30 April: 10am – 4pm
    • 1 May – 30 September: 9am – 6pm

    Prices

    • Adult 100 NOK
    • Students/Seniors 80 NOK
    • Children under 18: Free
    • Oslo Pass: Free
    • Note – your ticket gives you free admission to the Historic Museum if you visit within 48 hours of the Viking Ship Museum

    Getting Here

    • Take bus number 30 towards Bygdøy (stop: Vikingskipene)
    • Take the Bygdøy ferry (summer months only)
    Oslo Travel Guide
    Norway Travel Guide