Saturday, May 2 was a busy day for us. It is rare for us to spend the whole day exploring museums. We purchased the card Oslo Pass, which was created especially for tourists. It allows admission to museums and use of public transport, all included in the card price. We decided on a day card, which cost NOK 320 for adults and NOK 160 for children. The purchase pays for itself by the third museum, counting the regular admission price.
We started the trip at Aker Brygge, which is in the harbor in front of the City Hall in Oslo. We needed to get to the Bygdøy peninsula. To get there we could choose bus or ferry – both available under the Oslo Pass card. The ferry option was more attractive.
The ferry ride across the bay lasted a few minutes and was an interesting alternative to the bus. We reached the Huk Aveny. All the museums on the peninsula are located nearby, we needed to walk a few minutes to reach them. After a while we reach the junction with the main road Langviksveien. Opposite was the first museum on our list – Viking Ship Museum.
Viking Ship Museum
Anyone who hasn’t seen a Viking boat should definitely go to this place. In the vast premises of the museum are three authentic oak Viking boats. The museum building is built on a cruciform plan and in each of the arms we find one of the boats. The boats are archaeological finds, preserved in excellent condition. They come from the Oseberg (boat with dimensions of 22m x 5m), Gokstad (25m x 5m) and the Tune (destroyed, had the dimensions of 22m x 4,35m). The first one is the most interesting, perhaps because it was preserved in the best condition. To row this boat, 30 people were needed. It probably belonged to the wife of a Viking chief, buried in 834 AD with the boat. In the burial chamber, a lot of fabulous treasures were found – including richly carved sleigh, lots of ornaments and everyday items from that era. The Vikings believed that upon dying you don’t lose your social position, that’s why the tomb has a lot of things that can be useful to the deceased in the afterlife.
The museum was quite boring — there were only a few exhibits. The size of the boat is magnificent, but the whole thing can literally be seen in a quarter of an hour. The cost of a regular ticket is 60 NOK, if you don’t use the Oslo Pass.
At the exit there was a souvenir shop. Kris most liked the shield and sword of the Vikings.
