The best general museums Norway

The Museum of Cultural History at the University of Oslo houses a number of exhibitions on a variety of themes. The Historical Museum houses Norway's largest collection of objects from prehistory and the Middle Ages. There's also the permanent VÍKINGR exhibition, a collection from the Viking era, featuring ceremonial swords, gold jewelry and a rare Viking helmet. A fine preview of the Viking Ship Museum extension due to open in 2025-2026.

The university museum in Tromsø actually consists of three museums and a botanical garden: the main building of Norges arktiske universitetsmuseum, Polarmuseet, MS Polstjerna and Tromsø arktisk-alpine botaniske hage. All these museums highlight different aspects of the culture and nature of northern Norway, including Lapp culture, archaeology, geology, etc.. The garden can be visited from spring and during the summer.

At the entrance to the town, this modern museum has a permanent exhibition on the history of World War II and the mining company A/S Sydvaranger. The staging is impressive and very clear. There are many documents. The part dedicated to Lappish history is fascinating to understand this different history, ignoring borders. The network of museums in Norwegian Lapland provides a better understanding of the northern communities.

The city museum consists of two museums: the Museum of History and the Museum of Natural History. The History Museum tells the story of Norwegian art and cultural heritage and has important archaeological and anthropological collections. The Natural History Museum has many exhibitions and important zoological, botanical and geological collections. A very nice botanical garden and arboretum, if you are there in spring and summer of course.