I had an enjoyable afternoon at the Norwegian Museum of Cultural History (Norsk Folkemuseum), a massive 35-acre park on the Bygdøy Peninsula. I was lucky enough to find a bus that took me straight there from Oslo Sentrum.
The museum showcases Norwegian cultural history dating back to the 16th century through a combination of open-air and indoor exhibits.
The outdoor area is divided into sections representing different regions of Norway and features over 160 relocated historic farmsteads, town buildings, and other structures.
Indoors, comprehensive exhibits explore Norwegian cultural heritage, everyday life, and traditional craftsmanship.
Open-Air Experience
The most impressive building is the Gol Stave Church, built around 1200. In a state of disrepair it was nearly demolished, but King Oscar II bought the materials and paid to have it re-erected in Oslo in 1884.
Other farmstead structures looked similar but had regional differences.
Indoor Exhibits
The museum has ~1600 various chests and boxes. The 63 in this room were from the 1500-1800s. Once a treasured item, they have little value as collectors’ items now. Apparently the museum has more in storage awaiting a new and improved chest room.
A small sampling of more chests and boxes that I liked:
There was a small but “fantastisk” knitting museum.
I was excited for the bunad exhibit, but it was limited. Whereas the value of antique chests has plummeted, Norwegian bunads have skyrocketed in value as highly collectible items (check eBay!), so I’d imagine that the museum receives very few donations of these.
I found traditional bunad jewelry in another section of the museum. Zoom in!
Other random things that caught my eye:
In the end, I spent 4 hours here, and it flew by!
For a change of scenery, I walked to a nearby cove and caught a water taxi back. The Oslo harbour is a busy place!
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