Norway has some of the best Museums I have ever visited. In the winter, the hours are shortened and some are closed. Here’s a quick guide on how to make the most of your time in museums in Norway in the winter.
Like so many large cities, both Oslo and Bergen offer city passes for discounted or free museum entry with pass purchase. Should you buy the Oslo or Bergen city passes? The Oslo and Bergen pass are probably not worth it in the winter. Most museums have limited hours in the winter only open 4 to 6 hours total and some museums are completely closed. Two, maybe three museums would be all that you could see in a day. Individual entry costs for a few museums is less than the cost of the daily pass. You do get unlimited public transportation with the card. I would recommend doing the math to see if it might be worth it if you plan to take lots of public transport trips (which are about $4 for a 90 minute window of travel).
The city pass and museum websites are excellent and should give all the current information on opening hours and admission prices. They will also help you plan what you are going to do each day. Even though we ended up not getting either pass on our trip in the winter, I would get them in the summer when there are longer opening hours.
Oslo Museums and Sites to Prioritize
If you are only in Oslo for a few days in the winter these are the museums and sites to prioritize:
- The National Museum – Has a wonderful mix of Norwegian and International art. There are also displays on the furniture, silver, china, and clothes throughout the history of Norway. So many beautiful things and a great way to learn about Norway and its history. In the winter, it is open 10 to 5 Thursday – Sunday, closed on Monday, and open 10 to 8 on Tuesday and Wednesday. Admission is about $20 for an adult. We spent over 4 hours at the museum with a snack at the uber-Scandinavian designed cafe.
- The Fram museum – It’s located on a peninsula that is only accessible by bus in the winter. Across from the Maritime museum and the con Tiki museum, it’s the best of the three if you only have time for one (although there are combo tickets if you want to do a combination of them). Interactive and with all the information in English, you really learn about polar expeditions. The best part is getting to explore the boat itself and see how the Explorers lived on board for years. I loved the bus ride in because you pass lots of beautiful homes. We choose to walk past several of the bus stops in the snow for the experience and the view! In winter it is open every day from 10 to 5 and cost about $14 for adults.
- City Hall – Open every day from 9 to 4 (although it does close for events so check website for randomly closed days) this is the heart of municipal government in Norway. Stunning murals flank the walls. Currently the Noble Peace Prize exhibit is also here. It’s free and beautiful, a short walk to the National Museum.
- Vigeland sculpture park – It’s open 24 hours which is nice since so many things close early in the winter. It’s also free. We walked through the park at dusk with a light snow falling and it was truly magical.
Bergen Museums
Bergen was a bit of a disappointment museum-wise for our trip. Several are closed for restoration until 2026. We did really enjoy The Kode which is open every day except Mondays. This museum has four different buildings within walking distance of each other each with different exhibits and focuses. They all open at 11 AM and have different closing times depending on the day. Admission is about $15 for all buildings. Definitely worth a visit if you are in Bergen.
Additional Helpful Information
- Most museums have free lockers and coat racks. Super helpful since we had lots of heavy gear on to stay warm while enjoying the cities.
- The gift shops are disappointing. I love museum gift shops but the selection was not great, particularly at The Kode. The National Museum did have the best shop even though it was a bit pricy.
- All of the museums have nice cafes with limited menus for a nice lunch or coffee break.
Most people visit Norway for the gorgeous scenery but the museums are also worth the trip! Check out the gallery below for a peek into some of the museums.
