Oslo is an energetic city that expertly integrates its rich history with its contemporary attractiveness. It offers a unique combination of urban style and natural beauty, situated between the peaceful Oslofjord and lush and green forested hills. Oslo provides an amazing experience like the magnificent Oslo Opera House and the Royal Palace and many others hidden away in peaceful neighborhoods. Through an overview of the primary landmarks that characterize the city, you will explore numerous hidden gems that make up the unique charm of Oslo.

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Top 10 Must-See Attractions in Oslo, Norway

The following are the 10 must-see attractive places in Oslo, the capital of Norway:

1. Oslo Opera House
2. Holmenkollen Ski Museum
3. Akershus Fortress
4. Munch Museum
5. Frogner Park and Vigeland Sculpture Park
6. Nobel Peace Center
7. Salt
8. Oslofjord
9. National Museum of Norway
10. Norwegian Museum of Cultural History

1) Oslo Opera House

The Oslo Opera House is the national opera house in Norway and the home of the Norwegian National Opera and Ballet. The building is in the Bjørvika district of central Oslo, north of the Oslofjord. In 1999, the Norwegian legislature decided to build a new opera house after an extensive national debate. However, it was constructed from 2003 to 2007. 

Statsbygg, the Norwegian government’s property management organization manages the Oslo Opera House. The area of the Oslo Opera House is 49,000 square meters and the building contains 1,100 rooms. The main auditorium has a maximum capacity of 1,364 seats, while two other performance areas can accommodate 200 and 400 individuals. The structure seems to rise out of the water and its angled exterior surfaces are covered in white granite and marble from Carrara, Italy. 

It is the largest cultural building built in Norway since Nidarosdomen was completed circa 1300. The Opera House was honored with the culture award at the 2008 World Architecture Festival in Barcelona and the European Union Prize for Contemporary Architecture 2009.

2) Holmenkollen Ski Museum

The Holmenkollen Ski Museum is the world’s oldest ski museum. It is situated at the bottom of the Holmenkollen ski jump in Oslo, Norway. The Ski Museum was established in 1923, and Hjalmar Welhaven, an architect, was the first initiator of this historical museum. His collection served as the foundation for the historic and antique skis that are exhibited at the museum. 

However, the collection was preserved in a structure in the Frognerseteren suburb of Oslo until 1951. The museum collections moved to new buildings in Holmenkollbakken in 1951 as part of the development of the famous building.

The museum displays skiing history covering 4,000 years, commencing with Stone Age rock carvings. It also shows Viking Age skiers and skis. It illustrates instruments used in the polar voyages of Roald Amundsen and Fridtjof Nansen. The Ski museum belongs to and is administered by Skiforeningen. This association organizes activities, sports, and events in Holmenkollen National Park.

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3) Akershus Fortress

Akershus Fortress, also known as Akershus Castle, is a medieval castle in Oslo constructed to protect the city and serve as the city’s royal palace. Akershus was formerly one of Norway’s four primary regions, including most of Eastern Norway. The castle was located in the main county of Akershus until 1919, and then in the smaller Akershus sub-county until 1842. In addition, the castle has served as a prison, a military deployment, and the temporary residence of Norway’s prime minister.

The Akershus Fortress is open to visitors daily from 6 AM to 9 PM, despite being a military area.  Norway’s Resistance Museum and the Norwegian Armed Forces Museum can also be visited along with the Akershus Castle. In the eastern part of the fort, the Ministry of Defense and Defense Staff of Norway share a contemporary headquarters. The fortress is guarded by His Majesty the King’s Guard, which consists of mobile patrols at night and stationary guard posts during the day.

4) Munch Museum

Munch Museum known as Munch is an art museum in Bjørvika, Oslo, Norway, that illustrates the life and works of the Norwegian artist Edvard Munch. The museum was opened in 1963, based in Tøyen. The museum shifted to a new location at Bjørvika in 2021, where it was inaugurated on 22nd October. 

The permanent collection of the museum included more than half of the artist’s entire painting production and at least one copy of each of his prints. This included more than 2,240 books, 1,200 paintings, six sculptures, 18,000 prints,  500 plates, and many other artifacts. The museum had facilities for performing arts as well as sections dedicated to teaching and sustainability.

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5) Frogner Park and Vigeland Sculpture Park

Frogner Park is the city’s largest park which extends over 45 hectares. Frogner Park is Norway’s most popular attraction for tourists, with between 1 and 2 million visits every year. The neighboring Henriette Wegner Pavilion reflects philanthropist and women’s rights pioneer Henriette Wegner, who shifted from Blaafarvevaerket in 1837. 

Frogner Park hosted the 1914 Jubilee Exhibition after it was gradually opened to the public in 1904. Furthermore, the city officials decided that the park should include Gustav Vigeland’s fountain as well as all of his statues and monuments. The site was set up for the Gustav Vigeland Fountain in 1924, and the city council presented the complete design in 1932. The majority of the statues show folks doing a variety of activities that are generally associated with humans, such as wrestling, running,  hugging, dancing, holding hands, and so forth. Hence, Oslo has the most popular sculpture museums in the world.

6) Nobel Peace Center

The Nobel Peace Center is located on City Hall Square in Oslo and exhibits the Nobel Peace Prize and the ideals it shows. The center is also the place where politics and culture meet to encourage debate, participation,  and reflection on issues such as peacemaking, warfare, and conflict resolution. The Nobel Peace Center was opened in 2005 by His Majesty King Harald V of Norway in a ceremony attended by the Norwegian and Canadian royal families. Wangari Maathai, the Nobel Peace Prize laureate, was also present.

The Center is one of the most popular museums in Norway and receives about 2,50,000 visitors annually. The Nobel Peace Center resides in the former Oslo Vestbanestasjon (Oslo West railway station) building. However, the annual Nobel Peace Prize Award Ceremony takes place on 10 December in tribute to Alfred Nobel.

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7) Salt

Salt is a moving artwork built of wooden pyramids using traditional construction techniques. These architectural features commemorate Norway’s historic coastal fishing culture. Salt was designed to be an art village where people having a love of art can come together and enjoy the beautiful art. There are six indoor stages at Salt where cultural events are held regularly.

Salt is an exclusive place with saunas, amazing food, and art pieces that look out over the harbor and Opera House. Originally it was intended as a nomadic art project,  but now it has been allowed to remain for an additional couple of years, and the plan is to make it a permanent fixture in the city. Salt is a must-visit place in Oslo for people with a love of art.

Salt also holds a variety of events and festivals throughout the year, offering you to immerse yourself in literature, comedy,  music, drag, and theater. 

8) Oslofjord

The Oslofjord is a strait in southeastern Norway. In geological terms, the Oslofjord is not a fjord; but, the Norwegian language uses the term “fjord” to refer to a broad variety of rivers, including streams and straits like Oslofjord. The fjord extends 120 kilometers (75 miles) and opens in the small neighborhood of Bonn in the Frogn Municipality. It then flows north to Oslo before curving east and back south. It flows south to join the Skagerrak strait at an imaginary line that passes between the Faerder and Torbjørnskjaer lighthouses. The Kattegat marine area, which flows to the Baltic marine, is connected to the North Sea through the Skagerrak.

During the summer, the city can get hot, so a sightseeing tour on a boat is a wonderful way to cool off. Kayaking is also one of the popular ways to enjoy the fjord. 

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9) National Museum of Norway

The National Museum is situated in Oslo, Norway, and contains the Norwegian state’s public collection of art, design, and architecture. The collection contains almost 400,000 pieces, including the original manuscript of Edvard Munch’s The Scream from 1893. The museum is owned by the state and managed by the Norwegian Ministry of Culture. The National Museum was built in 2003 by combining the Museum of Industrial Art, the Museum of Architecture, the Museum of Contemporary Art, the National Gallery of Norway, and the Museum of Decorative Arts and Design.

In 2022, the museum inaugurated its new facility at Vestbanehallen in the heart of Oslo, which accommodates the complete collection of these former structures. Karen Hindsbo is the current director of the museum.

10) Norwegian Museum of Cultural History

The Norwegian Museum of Cultural History (The Norsk Folkemuseum) is based in Oslo, Norway. It contains significant collections of artifacts from every stratum of society and region of the country. The old town of the museum includes residences, workshops, and stores of different kinds connected by cobbled streets. 

Historic furniture, altarpieces, clothing, handicrafts, silverware, and the interior of the first Parliament of Norway are on display in indoor exhibition galleries. The museum provides a wide range of attractions and events for people of all ages throughout the year. Among the favorites are storytelling, traditional folk dancing, and baking “lefse.” There is a cafe and gift shop in the museum area. It additionally includes an impressive outdoor museum made up of more than 150 buildings that were moved from rural districts and towns. 

Further, the Norwegian Museum of Cultural History is situated on the Bygdøy peninsula; it is close to many other museums, such as the Norwegian Maritime Museum, the Viking Ship Museum, the Fram Museum, and the Kon-Tiki Museum.

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Conclusion

Oslo is one of the most beautiful cities that provides quality of life by focusing on sustainability and outdoor events and activities. Oslo is situated at the north of Oslofjord and surrounded by lush green forests. It is known for its rich history and modern architecture. The Oslo Opera House, medieval Oslo Cathedral, and Akershus Fortress display a rich history to cherish.

Oslo is full of cultural heritage and museums, including the famous Munch Museum, which displays Edvard Munch’s legendary painting “The Scream,” and the Viking Ship Museum, which allows guests to examine the impeccably preserved ships of prehistoric Norse sailors. However, English is widely spoken in Oslo which makes it easier for the tourist to survive there. May to September is the ideal time to visit Oslo, as the weather is mild and people enjoy outdoor activities more. 

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