Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
to need in the hereafter: jewels, furniture, food, servants, intricately carved carriages and
sleighs, tapestries and fierce-looking figures. Some of these items are also displayed in the
museum. All three ships were excavated from the Oslofjord region between the end of the
19th century and the start of the 20th.
The impressive 22m-long
Oseberg,
buried in 834, is festooned on prow and stern with
elaborate dragon and serpent carvings. The burial chamber beneath it held the largest col-
lection of Viking Age artefacts ever uncovered in Scandinavia, but had been looted of all
jewellery. As daunting as the ship appears, it was probably only ever intended as a royal
pleasurecraft.Thesturdier24m-long
Gokstad,
builtaround890,isthefinestremainingex-
ample of a Viking longship, but when it was unearthed its corresponding burial chamber
had also been looted and few artefacts were uncovered. In addition to the three ships, the
museum has recently put on display some of the skeletons found alongside the boats.
Norwegian Folk Museum
FOLK MUSEUM
(Norsk Folkemuseum;
Click here
;
www.norskfolkemuseum.no
;
Museumsveien 10;
adult/child Nkr100/25, free with Oslo Pass; 10am-6pm mid-May-mid-Sep, shorter
hr rest of yr)
Norway's largest open-air museum and one of Oslo's prem-ier attractions is
this folk museum. The museum includes more than 140 buildings, mostly from the 17th
and18thcenturies,gatheredfromaroundthecountry,rebuiltandorganisedaccordingtore-
gionoforigin.Pathswindpastoldbarns,elevated
stabbur
(
raisedstorehouses
)
andrough-
timbered farmhouses with sod roofs sprouting wildflowers. The Gamlebyen (Old Town)
section is a reproduction of an early-20th-century Norwegian town and includes a village
shop and an old petrol station; in summer (daily except Saturday) you can see weaving
and pottery-making demonstrations. Another highlight is the restored stave church, built
around 1200 in Gol and shifted to Bygdøy in 1885. Little people will be entertained by the
numerous farm animals, horse and cart rides, and other activities (some of which cost ex-
tra).
The exhibition hall located near the main entrance includes exhaustive displays on Nor-
wegian folk art, historic toys, national costumes (including traditional clothing used for
weddings, christenings and burials), domestic and farming tools and appliances, as well as
visitingexhibits.However,themostinterestingexhibitionfocusesonthelifeandcultureof
the Sami. It examines their former persecution and looks at how they have adapted to life
in a modern Norway. Temporary exhibitions are often hosted and these can be as varied as
church art or1950spopculture. Sunday is agooddaytovisit, as folkmusic anddancing is
staged at 2pm (in summer).
As most of the exhibits are outdoors, it makes sense to go on a nice day!
