Visit Scandinavia

Christmas the old fashioned way

Get into the Christmas spirit at Bærums Verk in Oslo. Take a short ride with horse and sleigh during the weekends or just enjoy the beautiful surroundings and small shops in old houses from the 17th Century. Experience an old-fashioned Christmas market with lots of handicrafts & designer-goods. Make Christmas tree decorations from sheep's wool or make your very own soap. Meet Norwegian fairytale characters, the Hulder and the Trolls!

Website: www.visitoslo.com

Norwegian Oil Field Museum

The Nork Oljemuseum is an experience-based museum in the middle of the city of Stavanger where you can see undersea oil fields up close. This is a popular attraction for both children and adults.

Address: Kjeringholmen

Tel: +47 +47 93 93 00

Fax: +47 51 93 93 01

Email: post@norskolje.museum.no

Website: www.norskolje.museum.no

Nobel Peace Center (Nobels Fredssenter)

The Nobel Peace Centre opened June 11, 2005. The centre was constructed on the grounds of an old railway station near the Oslo City Hall where the Nobel Peace Prize award ceremony is held on the 10th of December every year. The centre exhibits documents about the past Peace Prize winners and Alfred Nobel's efforts to raise interest in resolving wars and conflicts to achieve world peace. The centre has a lovely café and shop.

Address: Rådhusplassen i Oslo

Tel: +47 48 30 10 00

Website: www.nobelpeacecenter.org

Fram Museum (Frammuseet)

The Fram Museum shows the history of the polar explorers. Here you’ll find the world’s most famous polarship, Fram, from 1892, which is the museum’s main attraction. The ship is displayed in its original condition with interior and objects perfectly preserved. Every visitor is welcome on board Fram.

Address: Bygdøynesveien 39

Tel: +47 23 28 29 50

Website: www.fram.museum.no

Polaria

Polaria is an exhibition centre that opened in May 1998. It has a unique exterior that attracts the visitors from all around the world. Polaria showcases large panoramic views of the Lofoten Islands, which features a presentation on the ecology of animals and plants in the Arctic Circle. The show gives you a good understanding of how living organisms and animals lead their lives in the Arctic region. You can also meet Bearded Seals and other cute animals at the aquarium.

Address: Hjalmar Johansensgt 12

Tel: +47 77 60 69 00

Fax: +47 77 60 69 11

Email: info@polaria.no

Website: www.polaria.no

Sandefjord

Sandefjord is small town in the south of Norway, located 120km from Oslo and 20km from Larvik. It was an important trading zone during the Viking period that supported entire generations with whale hunting. Today Sandefjord is home to Europe's only whale hunting museum where you can learn about the whale hunting around the world. The museum displays a life size model of the world’s largest whale, the blue whale. During summer, Norwegians from all parts of the country come to Sandefjord to live the good life by the sea. The coastline offers a wide variety of sandy beaches and islets. The Sandefjord Torp Airport is one of Oslo's international airports, and there is a bus that goes to Sandefjord Airport from Oslo City which takes approximately 2 hours.

Maritime Museum (Norsk Sjøfartsmuseum)

The Norwegian Maritime Museum is in a fantastic location, right on the edge of the Oslo Fjord. The museum features a great panorama film "The ocean – a way of life" that takes the audience on a cruise along the Norwegian coast. Visitors can watch this visual sea voyage all year around.

Address: Bygdøynesveien 37

Tel: +47 22 43 82 40

Website: www.norsk-sjofartsmuseum.no

The National Museum of Art, Architecture & Design

The new museum is a merging of the previously autonomous institutions The National Gallery, The National Museum of Contemporary Art, The Museum of Decorative Arts and Design, The Norwegian Museum of Architecture, and The National Touring Exhibitions, Norway. Well worth a visit for visitors with an interest in art and design.

Address: Bankplassen

King Hakon's Chateau (Hakonshallen)

The King Hakon is a chateau built by King Hakon Hakonsson between 1247 and 1267. At that time, Bergen was Norway's capitall. This chateau was used as the house of the royal family.

Address: Bergenhus

Tel: +47 55 31 60 67

Open hours: May 15th to August Everyday 10:00 to 16:00 September to May 14th Everyday 12:00 to 15:00

Admission fee: 25kr

History Museum (Historisk Museum)

This museum displays anthropological collections from Norway’s prehistoric times, medieval times, modern times and other periods.

Address: Haakon Sheteligs Plass 10

Tel: +47 55 58 31 40

Open hours: June to August Tuesday to Friday 10am to 4pm Saturdays/Sundays 11am to 4pm September to May Tuesday to Friday 10am to 2pm Saturdays/Sundays 11am to 3pm

Website: www.museum.uib.no

Lofotr Borg Viking Museum

This is a unique museum located in Borg in the Lofoten Islands. Here you can gain firsthand experience of the Viking era. It is located 55km from Svolvær on route E10, and 14km from Leknes.

Tel: +47 76 08 49 00

Fax: +47 76 08 49 10

Website: www.lofotr.no

Kautokeino

Kautokeino is a Sami village that has a population of approximately 3000 people, one third of whom are reindeer breeders. Kautokeino means "open land that bristles with sedge from the forest" in Sami. Since this is a permanent home for the Sami people during the winter, it has educational facilities, such as a reindeer breeding school and a Sami craft school. in addition to other facilities that cannot be found in other regions of Norway, such as the Sami research institute. Many of the tours here also feature rather unique themes, including downstream rides on Sami boats, visits to Sami tents, and reindeer riding during the winter season.

National Gallery

The National Gallery is Norway's largest gallery that showcases a collection of national and international art works, including 1900 sculptures and 40, 000 block prints and line-drawings. This is a must-see gallery as it exhibits Munch's main pieces, such as "The Scream" and "Madonna".

Address: Universitegaten 13

Tel: +47 22 20 04 04

Website: www.nasjonalgalleriet.no

Norsk Form

Opened in 1993, Norsk Form is an information centre for matters relating to design and architecture. The centre also has a lovely exhibition space and a great café. Address: Hausmanns gate 16

Tel: +47 23 29 26 30

Fax: +47 23 29 26 31

Email: norskform@norskform.no

Website: www.norskform.no

Dagfinn Bakke's Gallery

The Dagfinn Bakke’s Gallery is a private gallery owned by the painter, illustrator and graphic artist Dagfinn Bakke. He lives and works in the Lofoten Islands, north of the Arctic Circle in northern Norway. Dagfinn Bakke has had exhibitions in a number of different countries, and his works are on display at many public art galleries, including the Norwegian National Gallery. The artwork can also be purchased.

Address: Richard Withs gt. 4, 8300 Svolvær

Tel: +47 76 07 19 98

Fax: +47 76 07 17 62

Email: dbakke@start.no

Website: www.dagfinnbakke.no