Fram Museum

The Fram Museum (Frammuseet) on the Bygdøy peninsula in Oslo tells the story of Norwegian polar exploration. It was inaugurated on 20 May 1936 and honours polar exploration in general and three explorers in particular: Fridtjof Nansen, Otto Sverdrup and Roald Amundsen. The museum is built around the polar ship Fram, which the museum describes as the world's strongest wooden ship. Fram was designed and built by the Scots-Norwegian shipbuilder Colin Archer to specifications provided by Nansen.

The museum's foremost exhibit is the polar ship Fram, and visitors are free to go on board and below deck to see the cabins, the cargo hold, the galley, the engine room and the saloons. In its own building stands Gjøa, the first ship to sail through the entire Northwest Passage, a three-year journey Roald Amundsen and a crew of six completed in 1906. The exhibitions also show the fauna of the polar regions, such as polar bears and penguins, and the museum lists a 4D polar flight among its exhibits.

The Fram Museum is open every day of the year, with no exceptions. From 1 October to 30 April it is open 10:00–17:00, and from 1 May to 30 September 09:30–18:00. There is no need to buy tickets in advance. Because the museum opens daily all year, it works as a fixed point when planning a day at Bygdøy, where the Kon-Tiki Museum and the Norwegian Maritime Museum are its closest neighbours. In summer the longer hours leave more room to combine several museums on the peninsula.

Admission is NOK 180 for adults, NOK 70 for children and students, NOK 140 for seniors, NOK 400 for families (two adults and up to five children) and NOK 130 per person for groups of 10 or more. Entry is free with the Oslo Pass, and student ID from all countries is accepted. A joint ticket with the neighbouring Kon-Tiki Museum costs NOK 325 for adults, NOK 125 for children and students, NOK 250 for seniors and NOK 720 for families; joint tickets must be bought on site. A companion of a person with a certified disability enters free.

The museum is at Bygdøy, just outside the centre of Oslo. It is easily reached by bus no. 30 from the city centre, or by city bike or bicycle, and boats run all year round from the City Hall, pier no. 3. Its closest neighbours are the Kon-Tiki Museum and the Norwegian Maritime Museum, while the Viking Ship Museum and the Norwegian Folk Museum are about a fifteen-minute walk away. Check the bus and boat timetables before you go, especially outside the summer season.

The museum is largely wheelchair accessible, but it is not possible to go below deck in a wheelchair. Both buildings have regular lifts, and there is a wheelchair lift down to Gjøa for non-electric wheelchairs; for electric wheelchairs, a back door to Gjøa can be opened. The museum has one adult wheelchair and one children's wheelchair available to borrow. Going on board Fram and below deck involves narrow ship interiors, so allow extra time if you are visiting with small children or limited mobility.