Ringve Music Museum & Botanical Garden

Norway's national music museum

The Ringve Music Museum sits on Trondheim’s Lade peninsula, with sweeping views over the Trondheimsfjord. The 18th-century manor is surrounded by 13 hectares of gardens, including a floral maze, arboretum and herbal garden.

The museum was founded in 1952 by Victoria and Christian Bachke, who collected instruments from around the world. Victoria, a Russian immigrant who had grown up surrounded by music, wanted to share her passion with the public. Today, the collection includes over 2,000 instruments, showcasing how music has changed over centuries and across cultures.

Inside, the Manor House has rooms with historical instruments on display. Guides often demonstrate some of them, giving a sense of how they sounded. The Barn hosts a wider collection, from classical and folk instruments to early electronic ones. Audio guides and interactive displays make exploring the museum easy and engaging.

The on-site Café Victoria serves light meals and pastries, and the museum shop has music-themed gifts.