Museums in Oslo

I’m not a museum person. But when I was planning these days the Viking Museum caught my eye and I booked in advance for today.

There are 6 museums on Bygdøy, a peninsula (almost an island) just south of the CBD. Access by bus #30 or ferry. Look for the “museums ferry” at Pier 3.

So I headed in that direction and found a fortress – tall stone walls surrounding a hill just SE of the central area. And discovered free entry – let’s check it out. Looks like a great area for a foot sprint with different levels and several tunnel exits to tracks and terraces outside the walls. (The guy in the Info centre doesn’t know of any O here. )

The Akershus Fortress. The castle was completed around 1300. The kings lived here and remodelled and extended the castle in the early 1600s. The royal family have moved out but still maintain an interest – I happened to see the changing of the guard this morning – soldiers of the Royal Guard with plumed helmets. It continues as a military establishment (Norwegian Defence Force Academy is here) but no fortifications for 200 years.

There is also the Resistance Museum which I checked out, thinking to learn more of Norway’s WW2 history but I’m only mildly more informed after most of the detail was in Norwegian.

All that reminds me … the minimum age for Seniors discounts is 67. I’m clearly looking my age. On several occasions I’ve been offered a seniors rate straight off, and no one wants evidence!

So eventually to the ferry. (And looking back, there is the Akershus castle and fortress.)

A bit of an uphill walk to the Viking Museum. They have 2 pretty much complete Viking ships built around 900 AD and one missing its superstructure. They are 20m+ in length and 5m wide with positions for 24-32 oarsman (depends on the length – they vary. Two of these three would probably have been able to travel as far afield as Iceland.

These still exist because they were used for burials (sort of like the pyramids) with food and household items, and jewellery and sometimes animals. And then a huge mound of earth placed on top. These 3 were unearthed in the period 1860-1910).

I was a bit disappointed. Would have liked to learn more about the Vikings and their activities – focus was mainly on the deaths and artefacts remaining after the grave robbers had done this rounds.

One other museum had meanwhile taken my interest. So a short bus ride to the next group of three, to the Fram Museum. The Fram was Ronald Amundsen’s ship on his South Pole trip, and had also been involved in Arctic exploration.

Two triangular-shaped buildings joined by an underground gallery. The first building focussed on Antarctic exploration. (Amundsen won. Scott did not.). Excellent signage with lots of detail around the perimeter on 3 floors – and in the centre of the building is The Fram, beautifully restored. You can go on board and explore below decks to see how the expeditioners lived and worked and how the ship was loaded. ( the original specifications: strong enough to withstand ice pressure, big enough for 12 men and 5-6 years of supplies!

I was ready to go when I was enticed by a sign for movies. I could do with sitting down. And Oh My! I’d forgotten there is a second ship here ( in the next building). The Gyøa was the first ship through the NW passage north of Canada. This whole pavilion is devoted to Arctic exploration.

No. I’ve had enough. I’ll buy a book on the way out. But the books are all too heavy and too detailed. I just wanted the simple version.

So the last part of the day’s plan was a walk in the woods. Back on the bust to the S side of the peninsula.walk down here … no not there. The signs are warning of the nudist beach. And the grassy foreshore is well populated. Finally on the right track – could do an interesting MYBO Sprint in here. Very pleasant and not too open forest. Around 3 km later I managed to find the main road and a bus stop to come back to town.

I forget the Norwegian. But I’m pretty sure it would translate as Paradise Beach. the buildings in the distance are west of the city centre.

Now packed and ready to move on tomorrow morning, Flåm tomorrow night.