Kategori: Museum

KNM Narvik

KNM Narvik is a former Norwegian naval frigate, now preserved as a museum ship beside the Royal Norwegian Navy Museum at Karljohansvern in Horten. Step aboard a Cold War warship and discover Norway's naval history.

Life on board a naval frigate
What was everyday life like aboard a warship, with cramped cabins, long watches and a large crew sharing limited space? Explore narrow corridors, sleeping quarters, command rooms and mess areas where the crew lived and worked. On a guided tour, hear stories about the men and women who served aboard, their missions and daily life at sea.

Over 40 years of naval history
KNM Narvik (F304) was delivered from the Royal Norwegian Navy's main shipyard in Horten in 1966. One of five Oslo-class frigates, it served in convoy protection, coastal defence and NATO operations. By the time it was decommissioned in 2007, the ship had travelled around 850,000 nautical miles, and more than 5,000 men and women had served aboard. The vessel was granted protected heritage status in 2016 and opened as a museum ship in 2017.

Take a break in the crew's mess
The onboard kiosk sells coffee, waffles, toast and sweet treats. Enjoy your refreshments in the original crew's mess, where sailors once gathered between watches. Souvenirs and other merchandise are also available.

Explore more at Karljohansvern
Combine your visit with the Royal Norwegian Navy Museum, which explores Norway's naval history through ships, exhibitions and maritime objects. Nearby is Preus Museum, Norway's national museum of photography. You can also follow the historic walking route around Karljohansvern, passing former naval buildings, tree-lined avenues, the Horten Canal and coastal green spaces.

Guided tours and group dining
School classes, businesses and other groups can book guided tours aboard KNM Narvik. Visits can be combined with lunch or dinner in the ship's historic mess rooms. Guided tours and dining must be arranged in advance with Marinens Veteranskip.

A trip aboard the Royal Launch
Marinens Veteranskip also offers trips aboard the Royal Launch of 1976, originally built for the Norwegian Royal Family for use aboard the Royal Yacht Norge. The restored electric launch accommodates up to ten passengers and can be chartered with a crew from May to September. Trips can be combined with a visit to KNM Narvik. Read more about the Royal Launch and charter bookings.

Plan your visit
KNM Narvik is moored beside the Royal Norwegian Navy Museum at Karljohansvern, Nedre vei 8, Horten. Free parking is available in designated areas nearby. The museum ship is normally open from May to September. In May and September, it opens on Sundays, while in June, July and August it is open Friday to Sunday, usually from noon to 4 pm.

Tickets can be purchased on board. During summer, combined museum tickets are available from the Royal Norwegian Navy Museum. Group visits can be arranged from mid-May to the end of October.

The ship has narrow passageways and changes in floor level. Visitors with accessibility requirements should contact the operator before visiting. Check current opening hours, admission prices and guided tour bookings.

 

Harald Kihle Art Museum

Harald Kihle Art Museum is located at Apenestunet in Horten, close to where the artist grew up. The museum traces his artistic development through around 170 works, from early childhood drawings to paintings, lithographs and woodcuts from his later years. The exhibition offers a personal introduction to one of Norway's recognised 20th-century artists.

From childhood drawings to a lifetime of art
Harald Kihle (1905–1997) began drawing as a child. He found inspiration in his surroundings, particularly working horses, which became a recurring subject and a distinctive feature of his art. At the museum, you can follow the development of his artistic style through early drawings, paintings and prints. You'll also encounter landscapes and scenes from Telemark, a region that inspired him throughout much of his career.

Horses, rural life and stories from Telemark
Kihle's art is shaped by landscapes, people and working life. Many of his subjects are rooted in Telemark's rural culture and storytelling traditions. The exhibition includes works inspired by the legend of Guro Heddelid and the poem cycle Storegut by Norwegian poet Aasmund Olavsson Vinje. Through paintings, woodcuts and lithographs, you can discover how Kihle used colours, shapes and different printmaking techniques to develop his distinctive artistic expression.

An extensive art collection
The museum also preserves Harald Kihle's archive, including sketches, preparatory studies, photographs, diaries, letters and other documentation from his long artistic career. The material offers insights into his creative process, the development of his ideas and the people he knew. Much of the collection has been catalogued and digitised, with selected archive material available through DigitaltMuseum.

Art and culture at Apenestunet
Harald Kihle Art Museum is part of Apenestunet Art and Cultural Centre. The site also includes Kihlegalleriet, which hosts changing art exhibitions. Concerts, talks and other cultural events take place at Apenestunet throughout the year. For children and families, Kihles KunstLab offers creative workshops inspired by the artist's subjects and techniques. The workshops have their own programme and opening hours. For more art experiences in Horten, visit Preus Museum at Karljohansvern, Norway's national museum of photography. You can also discover other attractions in the Horten visitor guide.

Plan your visit
Harald Kihle Art Museum is located at Falkenstensveien 29 in Horten, with access from Apenesbakken. Opening days and hours vary throughout the year. Private guided tours and group visits can be arranged in advance. Admission is free for children and young people under 18 and members of Horten Art Association.
Free parking is available at the museum, and there is also a café at Apenestunet.

Check current opening hours, admission prices, exhibitions and events on the museum's official website.

 

Jahn Teigen-utstillingen «Ikke som alle andre»

The permanent exhibition Ikke som alle andre (Unlike Anyone Else) is located in Jahn Teigen Arena at Quality Hotel Tønsberg. Discover the life of one of Norway's best-known entertainers through original stage costumes, instruments, records, photographs, films and personal belongings.

The man, the artist and his career
The exhibition is divided into three themes exploring different sides of Jahn Teigen's life. See stage costumes, paintings, instruments and personal objects that tell the story of both the performer and the man behind the music. Highlights include his distinctive skeleton costume and the green stockings from the comedy group Prima Vera. Photographs and film footage trace a career filled with concerts, television appearances and performances in Norway's national selection for the Eurovision Song Contest. For those who grew up with Teigen's music, the exhibition brings back familiar memories. Younger visitors can discover an artist who left a lasting mark on Norwegian music and entertainment.

An artist with strong ties to Tønsberg
Jahn Teigen had close ties to Tønsberg. He performed at the hotel on several occasions and was also awarded the Order of St. Olav here. The exhibition was made possible through extensive local efforts, with individuals and organisations helping to collect and preserve objects from the artist's life. Just outside the hotel is Jahn Teigen's Square, home to a statue honouring the musician.

Combine your visit with a walk along the waterfront
The exhibition is located inside Quality Hotel Tønsberg, close to the waterfront promenade and harbour. After exploring the exhibition, take a stroll along the waterfront, see the Jahn Teigen statue and discover restaurants, shops and other attractions in central Tønsberg.

Free admission and visitor information
The Jahn Teigen exhibition is located in Jahn Teigen Arena, Ollebukta 3, central Tønsberg.
The permanent exhibition is free to visit and is normally accessible during the hotel's opening hours. However, it may be temporarily closed when the venue is used for private events. If you're travelling to Tønsberg specifically to see the exhibition, check availability before your visit.

Find information about Jahn Teigen Arena and upcoming events.

 

Nerdrum Museum

A dedicated museum celebrating the life and work of notorious Norwegian contemporary classical painter Odd Nerdrum, showcasing highlights from his career spanning over six decades.

The museum, run by the non-profit Nerdrum Museum Association, makes Nerdrum's works accessible to the public and shares knowledge about his life and career. The permanent exhibition is presented in the historic setting of the former Agnes Fabrikker at Sjøparken, Norway's last match factory, alongside the atmospheric café Havfuglen and the beautiful Narvesen ice-kiosk from 1923, designed by architects Lorenz Ree and Carl Buch.
Around eighty monumental oil paintings are exhibited over 1,600 square meters in a dark and mystic circuit, taking the audience through the heights and depths of Nerdrum's timeless dreamworlds.

The museum also hosts events such as concerts, lectures, and special presentations on architecture and classical figurative painting.
Guided Tours – Book a guided tour year-round. Tours last about 45–50 minutes and accommodate up to 20 participants per group. For larger groups, it is recommended to split into two, with one group enjoying a snack or coffee at café Havfuglen while the other tours the museum.

For questions and bookings: booking@nerdrummuseum.com.

Sjoparken

Sjøparken is located at Agnes near Stavern, where a former industrial area has been transformed into a neighbourhood of art, culture, cafés and seaside activities. Here you can visit Nerdrum Museum, explore artists' studios, enjoy a coffee at Agnes Torg or see the Tangaroa raft that crossed the Pacific Ocean. The historic factory buildings and waterfront setting make Sjøparken an interesting place to explore, whether you come for the art, the activities or a walk by the sea.

Discover the art of Odd Nerdrum
At the heart of Sjøparken is Nerdrum Museum, housed in the historic Pipehuset building at the former Agnes factories. The museum presents a permanent exhibition of paintings and other works spanning more than half a century of Odd Nerdrum's artistic career. The museum explores Nerdrum's figurative paintings and the stories behind them. The former industrial building provides a distinctive setting, with traces of its manufacturing past still visible in the surroundings. Guided tours can also be booked in advance.

Explore the artists' studios
Kunst i Sjøparken brings together artists and craftspeople working with painting, photography, printmaking, ceramics, textiles and jewellery. The former factory buildings now house studios and galleries featuring a wide range of artistic styles and techniques. Exhibitions and open studio events take place throughout the year. Visitors can discover the local creative community and see works made using different materials and methods. Opening times vary between studios, so check which exhibitions are open before visiting.

See the Tangaroa raft from the Pacific expedition
One of Sjøparken's most distinctive attractions is Tangaroa, the balsa raft that crossed the Pacific Ocean from Peru to Polynesia in 2006. Led by Norwegian explorer Torgeir Higraff, the expedition was inspired by Thor Heyerdahl's famous Kon-Tiki voyage in 1947. The raft was later used during the filming of the feature film Kon-Tiki and is now displayed in a park area at Sjøparken. Visitors can see a vessel whose story reaches far beyond the shores of Larvik.

Cafés, bouldering and other activities
At Agnes Torg, Havfuglen Café offers food and drinks beneath old chestnut trees. Located next to Nerdrum Museum, it makes a convenient stop between exhibitions. Sjøparken also has a range of activities. At Bulder og Brak, you can try indoor bouldering, while other facilities in the area offer fitness training and martial arts. These activities are operated by different businesses, each with its own opening hours and possible membership or booking requirements.

Combine your visit with a coastal walk
Sjøparken sits beside the Larvik Fjord, close to Lillevikstranda beach and nearby walking areas. Combine a museum visit or coffee break with a stroll by the water or a trip to the beach. The marked Fjordstien coastal trail between Larvik and Stavern passes through Sjøparken. The full route is approximately 9.6 kilometres long, taking walkers past forest trails, beaches, rocky shoreline and small harbours. You can also choose a shorter section of the route for a relaxed walk along the coast.

Plan your visit
Sjøparken is located at Agnes, north of Stavern town centre. The visiting address is Sjøparken, 3290 Stavern. From Larvik, you can take a bus towards Stavern and get off at Agnes or Skaubakken. The outdoor areas are publicly accessible, while the museum, café, artists' studios and activity facilities have their own opening hours. Nerdrum Museum operates with seasonal public opening hours and also offers guided tours by advance booking. Check the museum's website for current opening times and admission prices.

Some artists' studios open during exhibitions and special events, while others welcome visitors by appointment. Several activity providers also require separate arrangements. Check directly with each operator before travelling. Sjøparken has a property information and viewing centre, normally open on weekdays from 8 am to 4 pm, with evening and weekend visits by appointment. These hours apply to the viewing centre only, not to the museums or other attractions.

Visit the Sjøparken website for information about art, activities, cafés and current visitor details.

 

The Oslofjord Visitor Center

The Oslofjord Visitor Centre is located at historic Karljohansvern in Horten. Families can explore life in the fjord through interactive exhibitions, digital experiences and creative activities. Admission is free, and visitors can learn about marine life and how we can help protect the Oslofjord.

Send your own fish into the Oslofjord
What does life beneath the surface really look like? At the visitor centre, you can colour your own fish and watch it swim through a large digital aquarium. You can also try marine-themed games, quizzes and the microplastic catcher, or observe tiny organisms through a microscope. In the creative workshops, children can make their own reusable shopping bags and crab-fishing lines.
Hands-on activities make discovering marine life both fun and educational.

What is happening to the Oslofjord?
The Oslofjord faces serious environmental challenges. Through exhibitions and educational activities, you'll discover how human activity affects marine life. Learn about marine litter, microplastics and ghost fishing, and explore the efforts being made to restore the fjord's ecological health. The centre also shows how research, technology and practical measures can contribute to a cleaner, healthier Oslofjord.

Combine your visit with a walk around Karljohansvern
The visitor centre is located in the historic Karljohansvern area. Afterwards, explore the nearby woodland and coastal paths, where nature meets the history of the former naval base. To discover more about Horten's maritime heritage, visit the Royal Norwegian Navy Museum. You'll also find Preus Museum, Norway's national museum of photography, in the same area.

School programmes and group visits
The Oslofjord Visitor Centre offers educational programmes for school classes, combining hands-on activities with learning about the fjord's wildlife and environmental challenges. Schools with an agreement through DuVerden can attend free of charge, while other school groups pay a group fee. Businesses and organisations can also arrange private group visits with a host. These must be booked in advance and have separate charges.

Plan your visit
The visitor centre is located at Kommandørkaptein Klincks vei 7, Karljohansvern, Horten. Regular opening hours are Wednesday to Friday from 11 am to 3 pm and Saturday to Sunday from 11 am to 4 pm. The centre is normally closed on Mondays and Tuesdays. Extended opening hours may apply during summer.

Admission is free for individual visitors and families, with no advance ticket booking required. Educational programmes and private group visits must be booked separately. Check current opening hours, activities and group booking information on the official website.

 

 

Eidsfoss post office museum

Eidsfoss Post Office Museum is located in the former workers' homes along Bråtagata. Step back to a time when letters, paper forms and banking services were part of everyday life. This small museum offers a nostalgic glimpse into the days before digital services took over.

When the post office was part of everyday life
Remember postal giro forms, savings slips and queuing at the post office counter? The museum shows how post offices operated before online banking, email and digital services became commonplace. For some visitors, it brings back familiar memories. For younger generations, it's an opportunity to discover how everyday tasks were handled before almost everything could be done on a smartphone.

Tourist information in Eidsfoss
The museum also serves as a tourist information centre. Here you can pick up brochures and get tips on what to see and do in the area. It's a good starting point for exploring historic Eidsfoss, where former workers' homes, shops and industrial buildings tell the story of the community that developed around the ironworks.

More history nearby
Combine your museum visit with a walk along Bråtagata and continue to the Eidsfoss Ironworks Museum.
Here you can learn about iron production, traditional cast-iron craftsmanship and the people who shaped this historic industrial community.

Plan your visit
Eidsfoss Post Office Museum is located at Bråtagata 49, close to Gamle Eidsfos Kro.
The museum and tourist information centre are open seasonally, during the summer months and on selected weekends in spring and autumn. Check current opening hours before visiting. When the Post Office Museum is closed, Visit Vestfold directs visitors to the Ironworks Museum for tourist information.

Check current opening hours and visitor information at Visit Eidsfoss.

Tønsberg Sjømannsforening, Tollboden (Maritime History Center)

Tønsberg Maritime History Center is located inside the historic Tollboden building on Tønsberg Quayside. Here you can explore the town's maritime and whaling history through ship models, photographs, historical objects and film. Run by Tønsberg Sjømannsforening, the local seamen's association, the museum offers free admission. It is an interesting stop for adults and children who want to discover life at sea and the people who helped shape this coastal town.

From sailing ships to modern shipping
Tønsberg has a long history as a maritime town. On the ground floor of Tollboden, the exhibitions follow its development from the age of sailing ships to an important shipping and harbour town, telling the stories of vessels, shipping companies and the people who worked at sea. Ship models, photographs, information panels and maritime objects reveal how shipping changed over the generations. Digital displays also present historic vessels and shipping companies from Tønsberg, showing the town's connections to ports and waters far beyond Vestfold.

When Tønsberg was a whaling town
Whaling played an important role in Tønsberg's history and the lives of many local families. In the museum's whaling exhibition, you can learn about Svend Foyn, who was a central figure in the development of modern whaling. The exhibition explores how whaling was carried out and what everyday life was like for crews working aboard whaling vessels in the Southern Ocean. You can also watch the film Hvalfangerlivet på hvalkokeriet Pelagos, offering a glimpse of working life aboard the floating whale factory ship Pelagos. For more about Svend Foyn and Vestfold's whaling history, visit The Slottsfjells Museum, where the Whale Hall displays large whale skeletons alongside an exhibition about the whaling pioneer.

A museum inside the old customs house
Tønsberg Sjømannsforening was founded in 1846 to promote the interests of seafarers and preserve the town's maritime culture and heritage. The association continues this work today through its historical collections and exhibitions. In 2005, the association purchased the old Tollboden building by the harbour. After extensive restoration work, much of it carried out by volunteers, the Maritime History Center opened in 2007. Today, the historic customs house provides a setting for stories of Tønsberg's sailors, shipping companies and whalers.

Guided tours and talks
Tønsberg Maritime History Center offers guided tours for groups by prior arrangement. These provide a deeper introduction to the town's maritime history and the people behind the exhibits. Admission to the museum is free, while guided tour prices are agreed separately. Tønsberg Sjømannsforening also offers talks for companies and associations about Svend Foyn and the history of whaling. Group visits and talks must be arranged in advance.

Combine your visit with a walk along the harbour
Tollboden stands beside the waterfront in an area that has been important to Tønsberg's trade and shipping for generations. After exploring the museum, take a walk along the quayside, watch the boats and stop at one of the nearby cafés or restaurants. To explore the region's maritime history even further back in time, continue to Vikingodden, within walking distance of Tollboden. Here you can see reconstructions of the famous Oseberg and Klåstad Viking ships when they are moored in the harbour.

Plan your visit
Tønsberg Maritime History Center is located in Tollboden at Tollbodbryggen, Nedre Langgate 38, 3126 Tønsberg, Norway. The museum operates seasonally, with regular public opening during Easter and the summer months. In 2026, it was open from 28 March to 6 April and from 23 May to 16 August, between 1 pm and 4 pm. During May it opened on Saturdays and Sundays, during June and August every day except Monday, and throughout July every day. Admission is free. Guided tours can be arranged outside regular opening hours, with prices available by agreement.

To arrange a guided group tour, contact Tønsberg Sjømannsforening on +47 901 54 480. Talks about Svend Foyn and whaling can be arranged on +47 971 05 791. Tollboden also houses restaurant and event facilities operated separately from the museum, with their own opening hours and booking arrangements. Visit the Tønsberg Sjømannsforening website for information about the museum, guided tours and updated opening hours.

Holmestrand museum

Holmestrand Museum is housed in the historic Holstgården, an 18th-century building in the centre of Holmestrand. Its exhibitions explore the town's maritime heritage, traditional crafts, art and everyday life. Run by the volunteers of Holmestrand Museumsforening, the museum preserves stories about the people who lived and worked here.

From wealthy households to sailors' homes
Step inside Holststuen, a recreated interior showing how a prosperous household lived in the 1840s. Its furnishings and period details offer a glimpse into a time when shipping and trade shaped life in Holmestrand. The museum's kitchen and modest living room reveal a different side of everyday life. Here, you can discover how families of more limited means lived, including those waiting at home while sailors were away at sea.

Traditional crafts and working life
What did a hairdressing salon look like in the past? And what tools did watchmakers and opticians use? The museum's craft displays feature historic workshops and workplaces representing trades such as tailoring, hairdressing, watchmaking and optics. You'll also discover the story of a woman who ran her own photography business at a time when this was unusual.

Holmestrand's maritime heritage
Shipping played an important role in Holmestrand's history. The maritime exhibition explores shipbuilding, the age of sailing ships and the town's connections with trade and life at sea. The museum's painting and photography collection shows how Holmestrand has changed over time, featuring historic townscapes and works by local artists.

A historic house with many lives
The museum building was originally built for the Holst family in the 18th century. The family was involved in shipping, trade and farming in Botne. The house later served as a school, first for local pupils and then for deaf children. It has been home to Holmestrand Museum since the 1930s. Today, the historic Holstgården is part of the story the museum tells, rather than simply a setting for its exhibitions.

Plan your visit
Holmestrand Museum is located at Nils Kjærsgate 4 in central Holmestrand. According to the museum's official website, regular opening hours are Sundays from 12 noon to 3 pm. If you would like to visit at another time, contact Holmestrand Museumsforening to arrange a visit.

Check current opening hours and contact details on the museum's official website.

Torås Fort

Torås Fort is located on the island of Tjøme in Færder municipality and is one of Vestfold's best-preserved military sites from the Second World War. Explore former gun positions, enjoy views over the outer Oslofjord and join guided tours through the fort's underground tunnels. The former coastal fortress also houses Færder Military History Museum and a memorial commemorating the events in the Oslofjord in April 1940.

Explore the wartime tunnels
Construction of Torås Fort began under Norwegian authorities in 1938. During the German occupation, the coastal battery was expanded and completed in November 1941 as Marineküstenbatterie 4/501, equipped with three 15-centimetre Bofors guns as its main armament.
On a guided tour, you can discover how the fortress formed part of the coastal defences and learn about the soldiers who lived and worked here. The tour takes you through underground tunnels and across the fort grounds, where military structures remain from the years when the Oslofjord was defended. After the Second World War, the fort returned to Norwegian military use. During the Cold War, parts of the facility were also used for secret training associated with the Stay Behind organisation. Military operations continued until the fort was decommissioned in 1999.

Færder Military History Museum
After the fort closed, its tunnels were sealed. Since 2008, the Torås Fort Interest Group has worked to preserve the site and reopen parts of it to visitors. In 2018, Færder Military History Museum opened in one of the restored tunnels. The exhibition presents the history of the fort and the military activities that took place here, with objects and stories covering different periods of Norwegian defence history. The museum can be visited during advertised opening hours and organised guided tours. Access to the underground tunnels is restricted outside these visits.

The Pol III memorial
Torås Fort is also home to a memorial commemorating the events in the outer Oslofjord on 8 April 1940. At its centre is the original bow of the Norwegian patrol vessel Pol III, which attempted to warn of and stop the German invasion force entering the Oslofjord.
The memorial was unveiled on 8 April 2020, with Norwegian artist Vebjørn Sand responsible for its artistic design. It offers a tangible connection to the dramatic hours before the invasion of Norway.

Guided historical walks and group visits
The Torås Fort Interest Group organises guided historical walks, introducing visitors to the site's military past, from its earliest history to its closure in 1999. A guided tour normally lasts around two hours and includes both outdoor areas and underground tunnels. Private guided tours can be arranged for groups of at least ten people. Cultural and historical events also take place at the fort throughout the year. During the summer season, a café has offered refreshments such as coffee and Norwegian waffles. Opening hours and event schedules vary, so check the latest information before visiting.

Combine history with a coastal walk
Torås Fort stands in a coastal landscape overlooking the outer Oslofjord. The grounds are also an interesting place to walk if you would like to combine local history with time outdoors. An unmarked trail of approximately 2.5 kilometres leads from the fort towards Havna. The route is included in Visit Vestfold's overview of coastal trails on Nøtterøy and Tjøme. It takes you through varied coastal scenery and provides an opportunity to continue exploring the island on foot. You can also combine your visit with Verdens Ende, at the southern tip of Tjøme, known for its rocky coastline, distinctive tipping lighthouse and views over Færder National Park.

Plan your visit
Torås Fort is located at Rødsgata 55, 3145 Tjøme, in Færder municipality.
The outdoor grounds can be visited throughout the year. The museum, tunnels and café have separate opening arrangements and are normally accessible during the summer season, guided tours and advertised events. Check current opening hours before travelling. Guided historical walks take approximately two hours and can be arranged for groups of between ten and 50 people. Previous visitor information listed a price of NOK 200 per person, with free admission for children under 12. Current prices must be confirmed when booking. Tours include outdoor terrain and historic underground tunnels, where visitors may encounter uneven surfaces, steps and narrow passages. Contact the organisers in advance if you have specific accessibility requirements.

For current opening hours, upcoming events and guided tour bookings, contact the Torås Fort Interest Group or consult its official social media channels.