Things to do in  Oslo

Set on the banks of Oslo Fjord, Akershus Castle (Akershus Slott)—also known as Akershus Fortress (Akershus Festning)—was built in 1299 as a residence for Norway’s royal family. Over the years it has served as a fortress to protect Oslo against sieges from rival Swedish forces, as a Renaissance castle, and as a full-fledged 19th-century prison.

Norway’s cosmopolitan capital lies at the head of Oslofjord, a narrow body of water 68 miles (107 kilometers) in length that leads out to the strait of Skagerrak and eventually to the Baltic and North Seas. The fjord’s islets are its main attraction, home to sandy beaches, cycling and hiking routes, and historic lighthouses.

Oslo’s neoclassical Royal Palace was designed by architect Hans Linstow and built in the early 19th century for King Charles III, who reigned over a united Norway and Sweden. Today it is the official city residence of King Harald V and his wife Queen Sonja, and is open during the summer for guided tours of some of its 173 palatial rooms.

Clad in heavy red bricks, the Oslo City Hall is impossible to miss in central downtown Oslo. The administrative seat of the City Council, the building may look simply functional, however, it houses important murals and artworks from celebrated Norwegian painters and sculptors. Here, within its stately walls, the prestigious Nobel Peace Prize ceremony is held.

Impressively designed by architectural firm Snøhetta, and made from white granite and marble and evocative of a floating glacier, the Oslo Opera House is a widely recognized landmark in Oslofjord. Home to the Norwegian National Opera and Ballet, it boasts a magnificent auditorium and complementary performance spaces for a variety of musical and dance performances.

Comprising of more than 200 bronze, granite, and cast iron sculptures by the Norwegian sculptor Gustav Vigeland, Oslo’s Vigeland Sculpture Park is the world’s largest such complex made by a single artist. Located within Frogner Park, it is also one of Oslo’s top attractions, drawing more than a million visitors a year.

This highly recognizable pyramidal structure on the Bygdøy Peninsula is dedicated to Norwegian polar exploration and houses the most famous Norwegian polar-exploration boat of all time, the icebreaker Fram, which explore polar regions from 1893 to 1912, and extraordinary features images from the daring explorations of the great Fridtjof Nansen, Otto Sverdrup and Roald Amundsen.

Jutting out from the westxa0 side of Oslo into the Oslo Fjord, the Bygdøy Peninsula is known for its clutch of museums highlighting Norwegian culture and history of exploration. A one-stop cultural and leisure destination, the stunning area has sand beaches and hiking and cycling trails, and an organic farm at Royal Manor, the King of Norway's summer residence.

Stretching from Oslo Central Station to the Royal Palace, Karl Johans Gate is Oslo’s main thoroughfare. Named after King Charles III John, the street is home to many of thexa0city’s top attractions, including the Royal Palace, Stortinget, National Theatre, Central Station alongside pubs, restaurants, and a variety of shops.

Dating way back to 1894, the Norsk Folkemuseum (Norwegian Museum of Cultural History) has resurrected Norway’s past, from the Middle Ages to the present. “Museum” is a misnomer here—though there is a traditional aspect, the “open-air” section preserves 160 buildings from each of Norway’s regions, and walking the streets here feels like exploring the pages of time.

Holmenkollen Ski Jump is a unique and fun landmark that represents Norway’s illustrious skiing tradition, and one of Norway’s best-loved visitor attractions. Attracting a million visitors every year, the historic attraction and amusement park includes a cross-country skiing and biathlon stadium, a ski museum, ziplines, and simulator that lets you experience your very own jump.

Consecrated in 1697, Oslo Cathedral (Oslo Domkirke) is used for Norwegian Royal Family weddings and funerals. The public is also welcome to admire its interesting architectural details, including a 1950 tempera ceiling by Hugo Louis Mohr, stained glass windows by Emanuel Vigeland, and magnificent altarpiece with acanthus carvings.

Housing Norwegian symbolist painter Edward Munch's life’s work, the Munch Museum opened in 1963 to commemorate what would have been the artist’s 100th birthday. The museum features works and belongings he had donated to the city; a magnificent collection of paintings, prints, drawings, watercolors, sculptures, notebooks, photographs, art tools, furniture, as well as his extensive collection of letters. Please note: The Munch Museum is reopening at a new location along the Bjørvika waterfront next to the Opera House in late 2021.

Set on Oslo’s Bygdoy Peninsula, the Viking Ship Museum (Vikingskipshuset) houses an extensive collection of Viking-era artifacts discovered around Oslo Fjord. The museum is best known for its Viking ships, which have been painstakingly reconstructed and elegantly displayed in pristine white galleries.

In the splendid Kon-Tiki Museum, experience the incredible seafaring feats of the explorer and ethnographer such as his legendary expedition from Peru to Polynesia in 1947. The museum displays the very balsa wood raft he used as well as a variety of boats and other artifacts from the famous groundbreaking journeys.