Oslo, Norway (Point of interest)

Originally built in 1299, the imposing Akershus Fortress at Aker Brygge was transformed into a Renaissance castle in the 17th century. It boasts majestic halls, a church and the Royal Mausoleum. Changing of the guard takes place daily at 1.30pm.... Continue reading →

The Fram Museum on Bygdøy Peninsula houses the Fram, the strongest wooden ship ever built. This Scottish-Norwegian-built ship of 1892 was used by explorers including Fridtjof Nansen and Roald Amundsen and has been immaculately preserved, both insi... Continue reading →

Oslo's central Munch Museum houses The Scream and Madonna among other paintings by Norwegian Expressionist painter Edvard Munch (1863-1944). Films, lectures and guided tours give deeper insight into the tormented painter's motivations and style. W... Continue reading →

Oslo's city centre National Gallery is Norway's main museum of visual arts, housing both Norwegian and international works. Highlights range from Picassos and Venetian masters, to a version of Edvard Munch's famous The Scream. The gallery was esta... Continue reading →

The Nobel Peace Center, which opened close to Aker Brygge in June 2005, is devoted to the famous peace prize. Exhibitions tell the story of Alfred Nobel and past prize winners, with displays on worldwide war, peace and conflict resolution. 1 Jun -... Continue reading →

The open-air Norwegian Folk Museum exhibits traditional building styles from around the country in a large park on Bygdøy Peninsula. Carefully relocated and reconstructed, one of the highlights is a wooden stave church from the 13th century. Perm... Continue reading →

The central Norwegian National Opera, or Den Norske Opera, hosts concerts and ballet as well as opera. The programme ranges from classics like Puccini to contemporary Scandinavian works, performed by Norwegian and international troupes. Today the ... Continue reading →

The Norwegian Resistance Museum at Akershus Festning houses a poignant collection of items used in Norway's fight against the 1940-45 Nazi occupation. Exhibits include photos from the notorious Grini concentration camp, and images of the Gestapo to... Continue reading →

In a stark 1920s building, the Artists' House (Kunstnernes Hus) in west Oslo is dedicated to international modern art. There are regular exhibitions by leading contemporary Norwegian artists and free guided tours on Thursdays and Sundays. The buil... Continue reading →

The stately Royal Palace, in the city centre, was built in 1848. Families flock to see the daily changing of the guard or to explore the surrounding park year-round. The palace itself holds special exhibitions and guided tours in summer. The palac... Continue reading →

The Ski Museum provides visitors with all they could possibly need to know about the history of skiing, as well as a hilltop restaurant, the Holmenkollen ski jump, the Tryvann Tower (for climbing) and an awesome 360-degree-view of Oslo. This is th... Continue reading →

Norway's Viking heritage comes vividly to life on Bygdøy Peninsula at the Viking Ship Museum. Star exhibits include three remarkably preserved ships, Oseberg, Gokstad and Tune, found in royal burial mounds in the Oslo area. Well-preserved treasur... Continue reading →

Gustav Vigeland (1869-1943), one of Norway's most accomplished sculptors, left a collection of giant statues to the nation - over 200 of which now stand in the Vigeland Park in west Oslo. The adjacent Vigeland Museum houses models of almost all his... Continue reading →