The Norwegian Maritime Museum

With its wide range of permanent and temporary exhibits, the Maritime Museum offers visitors a fascinating glimpse into the country’s diverse maritime life and legacy that goes back thousands of years. To this end, the museum displays a true treasure trove of artefacts. These include maritime paintings of some of Norway’s most famous artists, such as Christian Krohg and Hans Gude, historical photographs, various works of art, maps, and periodicals.

Combining historical artefacts with high-tech

Through its vast collection of fascinating artefacts combined with state-of-the-art technology such as an interactive experience center and a panoramic film, the museum illuminates the ways in which life with and on the sea has changed through time and answers questions such as, what did these developments mean for the life of Norway’s sailors? How have they influenced the country’s artists and culture? And how have they shaped the Norwegian society?

Two historic seaworthy ships

And visitors should make sure to not miss the many fascinating outdoor activities and exhibits: a war memorial, statues commemorating the Amundsen Arctic expedition, and the “Lighthouse” sculpture. And as the museum is actively involved in the preservation of historic sea vessels, the collection even includes two historical and completely seaworthy ships: the schooner Svanen, built in 1916 and carefully maintained by the museum, and the renaissance boat Vaaghals (Norwegian for Daredevil), a reconstruction of an archeological find. Through these and many more activities and initiatives, the Maritime Museum actively contributes to the exploration and preservation of Norway’s maritime legacy.

Visitors find the museum conveniently located on the picturesque Bygdøy peninsula in the west of Oslo, close to the Fram Museum, the Viking Ship Museum, and the Kon-Tiki Museum, three other famous and popular attractions dedicated to maritime culture.