6 Cultural Must-Sees in
Oslo, Norway
Travelgirl founders Stephanie Oswald and Renee Werbin want to be sure you’re enjoying every destination to the fullest. Collect their “savvy six” picks and make the most of your time away.
Viking Ship Museum Remember those stalwart, rugged blond Norwegians who sailed the seas in their Viking ships? The Viking Ship Museum brings those historic visions to life with three Viking ships from the 9th century on display. Discovered in the area around Oslo, two of these wooden vessels are immaculately preserved. The Vikings believed that life after death mirrored life on earth. These ships contained the skeletons of noblemen and women as well as their possessions, giving us great insight into the life of the Vikings. www.thevikingmuseum.com
Vigeland Park Visit the world’s largest sculpture park, created by renowned Norwegian sculptor, Gustav Vigeland. Most of Vigeland’s life’s work is exhibited here, in the form of 212 life-size statues. The park is open year-round and is one of Norway’s most popular tourist attractions. Visitors of every age will be amazed by the artist’s rendition of his view of the cycle of life. www.vigeland.museum.no/en/vigeland-park
Munch Museum This outstanding collection of artwork by Edvard Munch, one of Norway’s most illustrious artists, opened in 1963. The Munch Museum houses 1,100 paintings, 4,500 drawings and 18,000 prints. One of the four existing versions of his iconic painting “The Scream” is a highlight. The last version in private hands just sold for a record $119.9 million at auction! Munch’s art is considered to be the most significant Norwegian contribution to the history of art — and Munch is credited with being at the forefront of the Expressionist movement. www.munch.museum.no/?lang=en
Holmenkollen Ski Jump Ski enthusiast or not, you’ll want to visit Holmenkollen, the world’s most modernly designed ski jump. Located high atop Oslo in the mountains, this area has been used for ski competitions since 1892. If you want the exhilaration of flying through the air but don’t want to jump, try the simulator in front of the ski jump or just visit the top of the ski tower to enjoy unsurpassed views of Oslo. www.visitnorway.com/Holmenkollen
Norwegian Folk Museum This open-air museum showcases life in Norway from the 1500s to the present, with more than 150 buildings representing different regions and time periods. A memorable Gol Stave Church dating from 1200 is one of five medieval buildings on exhibit. Visitors have enjoyed experiencing the evolution of Norway throughout the centuries in this delightful setting since 1894. www.norskfolkemuseum.no/en
Kon-Tiki Museum Movies have been made about Norwegian explorer Thor Heyerdahl and the famous raft he built and sailed in April 1947. You can see it for yourself, along with other objects from the expedition, at Oslo’s Kon-Tiki Museum. Heyerdahl set out to prove the sea-worthiness of a raft made of South American balsa wood. The Kon-Tiki crossed 4,300 miles from Peru to Polynesia in 101 days and made Heyerdahl famous worldwide. You can watch short films on the expedition, and if you visit after August you’re likely to see the new feature film expected to be the largest-ever release of a Norwegian film. www.kon-tiki.no