Norwegian version of this page

About the Historical Museum

The Museum's extensive expertise in cultural history makes us the leading research museum in Norway. We also have Norway's largest archaeological and ethnographic collections – from the Stone Age, the Viking Age, the Middle Ages and up to recent times.

The Historical Museum is located in the city centre of Oslo. The museum building from 1904 is a magnificent example of Art Nouveau architecture. The rich decoration has a rare blend of Norwegian and international elements. 

Historical Museum is part of the Museum of Cultural History and the University of Oslo. The Cultural History Museum has Norway's largest collection of historical artefacts, from the Stone Age to modern times. The museum's main task is to do research, conservation and outreach on our history through our academic environments in areas such as archaeology, ethnography and numismatics.

The new Museum of the Viking Age is under planning. This museum is also part of the Cultural History Museum in addition to the Historical Museum. You can see fantastic objects from the Viking Age if you visit the exhibitions VÍKINGR and Fabulous Animals – From the Iron Age to the Vikings at the Historical Museum.

To unge personer som titter på en utstilling.

Visit us

Find opening hours, ticket prices, map and directions, information about accessibility and our facilities.

Plan your visit 

Gjenstander i en utstillingen.

Contact us

Find contacts at the museum for the audience, press requests and press images.

Find contacts 

Objects in an exhibition.

Touring exhibitions and loans

Borrow a travelling exhibition and engage and inspire visitors with exciting knowledge of cultural history in Norway and in the world.

More about loans 

Woman working with objects

Research

The Historical Museum is part of the Museum of Cultural History where innovative research of high quality is conducted in close interaction with the dissemination and conservation of culture and cultural heritage.

More about our research at the Museum of Cultural History

Two men examining Viking objects

Collections

We have the largest collection of archaeological and ethnographic objects in Norway.

More about our collections at the Museum of Cultural History

People digging in the earth.

Cultural Heritage Management

The Museum of Cultural History manages annually a number of archaeological excavations within its administrative region of 10 counties, located in East and South-Norway.

More about Cultural Heritage Management at the Museum of Cultural History

Personer som jobber med å grave ut et vikingskip.

Employees

Historical Museum is a part of the Museum of Cultural History.

Employees at the Museum of Cultural History

Fasaden på Historisk museum, foto fra 1905

The History of the Building

The Historical Museum opened its doors at Tullinløkka in Oslo in 1904. The building architecture was subject to much debate.

More about the building