Norway's maritime heritage through a thousand years

Norwegian Maritime Museum was founded in 1914 in response to the shipping industry undergoing enormous changes. Sailing ships were replaced by steamships, and traditional coastal communities changed rapidly. The museum founders wanted to preserve boatbuilding traditions and maritime knowledge before they disappeared.

The museum moved to its current triangular building in Bygdøynes in 1974. The characteristic blue glass facade mirrors the fjord outside and the building integrates elegantly into Bygdøy's green landscape. From the museum's café and outdoor area you have panoramic views over Oslo Fjord.

The collection encompasses everything from prehistoric dugout canoes to modern shipping. The exhibitions "At Sea" and "Norway is the Ocean" show how Norwegians have lived from and with the sea for over a thousand years, from Viking Age trade voyages to modern fishing and oil industry. --- ##

The Boat Hall and shipwrecks from Oslo

The Boat Hall displays Norway's largest collection of traditional open boats. Here you will find everything from nordlandsbåter and færinger to rowboats and dinghies from the entire coast. Each vessel represents generations of boatbuilding knowledge adapted to local conditions and uses.

In 2022, medieval shipwrecks were excavated in Bjørvika during the Barcode development. These finds provided new insights into Oslo's maritime history as a trading city. The wrecks are now displayed at the museum together with other marine archaeological finds. The open exhibition "Viking Age Boatbuilder" shows traditional clinker construction. You can see boatbuilders reconstruct a copy of a Gokstad boat and learn about techniques that kept Viking ships seaworthy across open oceans.

See the Gokstad Ship while the Museum of the Viking Age is being built

The Viking Ship Museum is being rebuilt into the Museum of the Viking Age and is closed until 2027. Meanwhile, Norwegian Maritime Museum has borrowed the Gokstad Ship so that Viking-interested visitors can experience an authentic Viking ship from around 890 AD. Visit the exhibition "Viking Age Boatbuilder" and experience an exceptional Viking ship example.

More than just ships

The Gram Hall displays a rich collection of maritime paintings from the 19th and 20th centuries. Works by Christian Krohg, Hans Gude, Axel Revold and other Norwegian artists document seafaring life. The museum offers child-friendly exhibitions with characters "the Chief and Sally Jones" who guide children through maritime adventures. Sunday workshop every Sunday from 12:00-15:00 lets children build boats, learn sailor's knots and explore the ocean through activities.

The underwater installation with a 10-meter blue whale model provides an experience of life below the ocean surface. Interactive screens show Norwegian marine life.

Easy to reach by Bygdøy ferry

Norwegian Maritime Museum is located in Bygdøynes, just 10 minutes by ferry from Rådhusbryggen. Norway Yacht Charter operates the Bygdøy ferry which runs from mid-March to early October with departures every 20 minutes. The museum is a 5-minute walk from Bygdøynes pier.

Bygdøy gathers five world-class museums on one peninsula. Norwegian Maritime Museum stands side by side with Kon-Tiki Museum and Fram Museum. Norwegian Folk Museum and the Museum of the Viking Age (opens 2027) are 15 minutes away. The short ferry ride from Oslo city center makes it easy to visit multiple museums in one day or return several times.

Bus 30 provides year-round transport from Oslo Central Station and National Theatre with stops at Bygdøynes.