Kon-Tiki Museum — Attraction in Oslo

For someone like me this museum is unique and very, very exciting, as it documents in great detail the exhaustive scientific work and the many adventures of a figure like no other: Thor Heyerdahl. His views challenged established History as it was by the mid 1900s. He went about to prove that ancient man could have achieved much more than it was then considered possible. Having seen pyramids in Egypt and also in the Yucatan peninsula, at the same latitude but some 10,000 kms away, he hinted that this building knowledge could have been taken all the way across the waters. He then constructed a raft made of papyrus reed and rope (called Ra), just like ancient Egyptians would do, and let himself float from the Moroccan coast for 5,000 kms, almost reaching Barbados, until he stopped the expedition in order not to risk the life of his crew. He commanded a second reed raft to artisans living in Lake Titicaca and using the same techniques of people living in the Nile and Lake Tchad, half world apart and supposedly having never been in touch with one another. This time he went all the way, sailing for 6,100 kms and reaching Barbados in 57 days. The demonstration had been done: it could have been done, these primitive devices were sea-worthy and there was a current pushing them from North Africa to the Caribbean (something that Columbus was also aware of). In the Pacific he went about to demonstrate his point of view in the same way. In an era before DNA testing could tell us a great deal of what we now know, his guess was that ancient populations would have crossed the Pacific from East to West. Going deep into his research he even lived for one year in an isolated island in the Pacific. Some years on he launched his most famed expedition, the Kon-Tiki. This is all very documented in this museum - the raft, the tools, the maps - in a touching and exciting exhibit which evokes the incredible courage of Heyerdahl and his companions, the tremendous hardship they went through, as well as his persistence and his sheer...

The Kon-Tiki Museum – A Voyage Across the Pacific

The Kon-Tiki Museum, located on Bygdøy in Oslo, invites you into the world of one of history’s most daring explorers – Thor Heyerdahl. The museum showcases his legendary expeditions, especially the famous Kon-Tiki voyage across the Pacific Ocean in 1947.

The centerpiece of the museum is the original Kon-Tiki raft, made of balsa wood, which Heyerdahl and his crew used to sail from Peru to Polynesia – a journey of over 8,000 kilometers. The expedition lasted 101 days and aimed to prove that ancient peoples from South America could have reached and settled the Polynesian islands using primitive seafaring methods. It became a global sensation and changed how we understand prehistoric navigation.

The museum also houses the Ra II, a papyrus reed boat that successfully crossed the Atlantic Ocean from Morocco to the Caribbean in 1970. The exhibitions include original artifacts, engaging documentary films, deep-sea exploration findings, and insights into Heyerdahl’s work in archaeology, anthropology, and environmental advocacy.

The Kon-Tiki Museum is a place of inspiration, celebrating human courage, innovation, and the drive to challenge conventional thinking. It's suitable for all ages and offers an immersive experience combining adventure, science, and cultural discovery.

Visiting the Kon-Tiki Museum is more than a history lesson – it’s a tribute to one man’s vision and the endless possibilities of human determination...

Fantastic museum * Other tourist landmarks might be notable for their historical, architectural, or entertainment value --- this place tho, its significance rests on a few important factors that any developed(ing) city/state would benefit in replicating.

What Eastern Island represents for humanity: how lack of foresight (mismanaging/abusing resources) quickly leads to a society's, and as a consequence, environment's demise. the explorer was able to achieve goals through fierce creativity and networking. random note, his folks came from differing religious backgrounds (one devotely Christian and the other atheist - something I can relate to) which likely shaped his unique outlook to push his purpose and be open to understanding differing points of view.

Overall, I wish this symbolic place would be more easily accessible. Having a subtle visual cue, a psychological reminder like what seeing a cross or smelling popcorn at amusement parks, does wondrous profound effects on the individual and societal level :D Can't go having a Kon-Tiki museum at every major city, tho. Maybe a compact version in VR format at all Natural History Museum and/or taught to students...