Norsk Folkemuseum and Vikingskipshuset

We spent the day at the Norsk FolkemuseumThe Norwegian Museum of Cultural History – and it was the kind of museum that scratched all the right itches for me: a museum focused almost exclusively on how regular everyday people live their regular everyday lives. In other words houses, farm yards, gardens, apartments, shops, barns; a collection spanning hundreds of years.

While the collection of grass-roofed farm buildings was impressive, and the stave church was awe-inspiring, my favourite sections of the museum concerned history since 1960 – my history, in other words, albeit in Norway. There was a gasoline station. An apartment block with each apartment decorated for a different era. A corner shop. A working farm. The attention to detail was remarkable, the interpretation well-done (in English and Norwegian) and, given the beautiful weather today for our visit, the afternoon walk a welcome respite from urban tourism.

Standard Bensin

"As a result, people wandered about..."

Stone Roof

Stave Church

TELEFON

The Folkemuseum is located in a museum-rich district of Oslo: nearby is the Viking Ship Museum is right next door, and that’s where we spent the late morning. I found myself unexpectedly moved by the Viking burial ships on display there, and, especially, by the artifacts found within them (leather shoes, cooking implements, sledges, fabric).

Viking Ship in the Sun

Viking Ship Museum

Viking Ship

Comments