Norwegian Museum of Cultural History

Get a unique glimpse into Norway's past at this open-air museum

You’ll find the Norwegian Museum of Cultural History on the Bygdøy peninsula, surrounded by trees. It feels more like a village than a museum, with wooden farmhouses, cobbled paths and flower gardens.

The museum was created to preserve traditional Norwegian buildings, many of them several hundred years old. Each one was carefully moved here from across the country, so you can see how people once lived, worked, and worshipped. The highlight is the 13th-century stave church, with its steep roof and dark timber, unlike anything you’ll see elsewhere.

You can step inside old homes, peek into kitchens, and imagine daily life in past centuries. In summer, costumed guides bring history alive by baking flatbread, spinning wool or telling folk stories. Horses sometimes pull carriages along the lanes, adding to the sense that you’ve travelled back in time.

Exhibitions show how Norway has changed through the 20th century, with displays surrounding clothing, toys and traditions. After exploring, you might want to stop off at the café or simply sit outside and take in the peaceful surroundings.