Excursions

Museums of Oslo

Most major museums are in or near the city centre and can be reached from conference hotels by foot or public transport.

Good for: art, design, history, peace and culture
Duration: 2-4 hours for one museum, or half a day for a small museum route

• National Museum: older and modern art, contemporary art, architecture, and design.
• MUNCH: Edvard Munch and a large program of exhibitions across 90 rooms.
• Nobel Peace Center: exhibitions and events about peace work around the world.
• More Oslo museums.

Vigeland Sculpture Park

Vigeland Sculpture Park is the world’s largest sculpture park created by a single artist, with more than 200 sculptures by Gustav Vigeland.

Good for: public art, easy walking, outdoor time
Duration: about 2 hours for the park; longer if you visit the museum or stay for a picnic

You can visit independently or as a group. A student guide may be arranged if there is enough interest. The Vigeland Museum is nearby and can be paid for on entry.

Visit Oslo information

Botanical Garden and Natural History Museum

The Botanical Garden at Tøyen is Oslo’s largest botanical garden, with greenhouses, themed gardens, and peaceful walking paths close to the city centre. The Natural History Museum showcases Norway’s geology, minerals, fossils, dinosaurs, and biodiversity.

The tour of the Botanical Garden is scheduled for 13:00 on Wednesday. Maximum 30 people.

The tour of the Museum is scheduled after lunch, with the time to be confirmed later. Maximum 20 people. A herbarium tour will be led by Carmen Celine Tyndale Dalseng.

Good for: biodiversity, gardens, museum collections
Duration: 1-2 hours for a garden or museum tour; 2-3 hours for behind-the-scenes collections if arranged

Behind-the-scenes collection visits are still to be arranged.

Visit Oslo information

Island Hopping in the Oslofjord

Explore the inner Oslofjord by ferry with stops at small islands close to the city centre. The tour will be guided by Kristina Bjureke, who has kindly offered to share her knowledge of the Oslofjord islands. There may also be an opportunity to run a bioblitz using iNaturalist.

Good for: fjord views, nature, bioblitz activity
Duration: 4-6 hours; bring lunch

Line B1 runs year-round from Rådhusbrygge 4 and serves Hovedøya, Bleikøya, Gressholmen, Lindøya, and Nakholmen.

• Visit Oslo island hopping guide
• iNaturalist bioblitz guide

Bygdøy Museums

Bygdøy is home to several museums focused on coastal heritage, polar exploration, cultural history, and twentieth-century history.

Good for: maritime history, polar exploration, Norwegian culture
Duration: 4-5 hours

Consider the Kon-Tiki Museum, Norwegian Maritime Museum, Fram Museum, Norwegian Museum of Cultural History, and the Holocaust Center.

Bygdøy attractions

Walking Tours

If there is enough interest, local guides may be arranged for selected walks.

Good for: city views, beaches, forest paths, sculpture parks
Duration: 1-3 hours depending on the route

• Oslo Central Station to Paradisbukta on Bygdøy: a 7.4 km walk to beaches, forest paths, and coastal scenery.
• Oslo Central Station to Ekeberg Restaurant: a 4.8 km walk with city and fjord views. Ekeberg’s landscape inspired several Edvard Munch paintings, including The Scream.

Bird trip

BirdLife Oslo and Akershus will coordinate a three-hour birding excursion to Østensjøvannet. The trip can take up to 40 participants with two English-speaking guides, split into two groups of 20. A total of 25 binoculars and 4 telescopes will be available for participants.

Good for: birding, local nature, guided observation
Duration: 3 hours Cost: $30

The exact start time will be decided later. In September, the guides advise that it is not essential to go very early.