Norwegian Petroleum Museum

Oil was found at Ekofisk in 1969, and within a generation it made Norway one of the wealthiest countries in the world and Stavanger its industry capital. The museum, opened in 1999 in a building on the harbour designed to suggest platform structures on concrete legs, explains how oil formed, how it is found and extracted, and what life on an offshore platform involves, with full-scale drilling equipment, a drill floor, living quarters and interactive stations. It does not avoid the difficult parts: the Alexander Kielland disaster of 1980, which killed 123 people, has its own section, as do climate change and the debate about Norway's role. Outside, a play rig and an escape chute let children slide down.

What you actually see

• The full-scale equipment - drilling machinery and a working drill floor.
• The platform quarters - reconstructed living conditions offshore.
• The Kielland section - the 1980 disaster that killed 123 workers.
• The escape chute - an outdoor slide from a platform escape system.

When to go

Year-round; the museum is indoors and works in any weather, with longer summer hours. The outdoor play rig suits dry days. Cruise arrivals fill it at midday in season.

Honest expectations

The museum is funded partly by the industry it covers, and while it addresses climate change, some visitors find the treatment cautious. It is busy with school groups on weekdays. Ticket prices are on the high side.

Nearby

Gamle Stavanger and the Canning Museum are across the harbour; Stavanger cathedral is central.