Museum of the Viking Age

On the Bygdoy peninsula in Oslo stands the collection of the finest Viking ships ever found, the Oseberg and Gokstad vessels, buried whole as graves over a thousand years ago and dug from the earth almost intact. The museum has been closed since September 2021 while it is rebuilt into the new Museum of the Viking Age, due to open in 2027; it also holds sledges, carts and treasures from the burials.

History

In 1913 the Swedish professor Gabriel Gustafson proposed a building for the Viking Age finds, and Arnstein Arneberg won the design contest. The Oseberg ship was moved into its hall in 1926, the halls for the Gokstad and Tune ships followed in 1932 and the last hall in 1957, and in 2016 the Danish firm AART architects won the competition to expand the museum (Wikipedia, Viking Ship Museum (Oslo)).

Highlights

• The Oseberg ship - the exquisitely carved oak ship from a rich burial.
• The Gokstad ship - the great seagoing vessel from another burial mound.
• Grave goods - the sledges, carts and carved treasures buried with the ships.
• The story of the finds - how the ships were excavated and preserved.

When to go

The museum is closed until the new building opens, planned for 2027 - check the opening date before you go. Once open it is a fully indoor museum for any weather.

What to expect

The museum has been closed since September 2021 for a major rebuild into the new Museum of the Viking Age, with opening planned for 2027, so check its status before visiting. When open, the ships are extraordinary but the visit is fairly short. It is out on the Bygdoy peninsula, a short trip from the centre.

Nearby

The Fram and Kon-Tiki museums are nearby on Bygdoy; the Norwegian open-air folk museum is alongside.

Key facts