The Fram Museum — Attraction in Oslo

Best Part of the Museum: the Transfer with the small private (?) Ferry from Downtown Oslo! Really worth the Journey to Bygdoy! The Museum itself is all about the two exploration ships Fram and Gjoa. Each has its own building which are connected via a tunnel. You enter the bigger Part with Fram where the ticket counter, toiletts, Souvenir Shop and a small Snack Shop Are located. We decided to do the introduction Film which was stated in the leaflet we got with the Tickets. Unfortunatelly there was no real cinema in the smaller Building Part After the Tunnel. There used to be one, but a staff member told us that the leaflet is outdated and we should go back to the main building. Even there, there was no real cinema room we were looking for. Only a small open area with video projection in endless loop all around the walls. With only a few seating possibilities we ended up sitting on the floor for that 10 minutes short film. Then we made another bad decision: we did Gjoa first. It took us nearly 2 hours to read the Information provided all around the tunnel and the ship. Luckily 95% of it in english language or with additional foreign translations and well written and with lot of pictures and artefacts. After this we wanted to see the highlight, the Fram. It is really impressive, even so it seems a bit squeezed into that building. Here you find another dozens of walls full of detailed Information on nearly any subject of the ship, its crew and their travels. And that is a problem. The museum, beside as it seems a bit old and outdated, is so overwhelming packed with Information that you cant do that all in one single visit. There is Not a single empty part of wall or a space to have a break. Only the little fenced outdoor eating area gives you an Option for some fresh air and timeout from that education marathon you are in. The room around the Fram is dark due to the animation of the sky above the ship so we got tired soon. And there is not a single window from where you might get a glimpse of that possibly fantastic view over the harbour back to Downtown Oslo. The snack shop is expensive and offers regular fastfood items. The souvenir shop at the exit has a huge variety on english literature on that special topic which is really cool when it is your interest.

I would recommend the Museums Leaders to give visitors a clear and short introduction of the museum and the ships in the beginning. There should be a clear concept of the content and visitors should be able to decide if they want a quick tour or if they want to study every detail and write a scientific Report after their visit. Refurbishment and modern technics should be implemented and the space should be opened up to the harbour to give visitors the chance to see that beautiful city and stunning location of that...

For those interested in the history of Norwegian polar expeditions, the Fram Museum in Oslo is a must-visit destination. The museum offers an immersive experience, allowing visitors to explore the actual ships that played pivotal roles in polar exploration.

The centerpiece of the museum is the Fram, renowned as the strongest wooden ship ever built. Designed by the celebrated explorer Fridtjof Nansen, the Fram was utilized in three significant expeditions:

1893-1896: Fridtjof Nansen's drift over the Arctic Ocean. 1898-1902: Otto Sverdrup's exploration of the Arctic archipelago west of Greenland, now part of Canada's Nunavut region. 1910-1912: Roald Amundsen's expedition to Antarctica, during which he became the first person to reach the South Pole.

Visitors have the unique opportunity to board the Fram and delve into its cabins, lounges, cargo hold, and engine room, gaining a profound insight into the daily lives of the explorers. The preserved interiors, along with personal artifacts and diary excerpts, vividly convey the challenges and triumphs faced during these monumental journeys.

Adjacent to the Fram, the museum also houses the Gjøa, the first vessel to successfully navigate the entire Northwest Passage. Led by Roald Amundsen between 1903 and 1906, this expedition was a landmark achievement in polar exploration. The Gjøa is displayed in a dedicated building, where visitors can learn about its historic voyage and the crew's experiences.

Beyond the ships, the museum features comprehensive exhibits detailing the history of polar exploration, including the technological innovations and human endurance that made these expeditions possible. The surrounding area of Bygdøy is also home to other notable museums, such as the Kon-Tiki Museum and the Norwegian Maritime Museum, making it a rich cultural destination.

In summary, the Fram Museum provides a captivating and educational experience, offering a window into the daring expeditions that have significantly contributed to our understanding of the...

The topic is quite interesting and the "4D" movie was really cool but if you're considering visiting this place in the summer, DON'T.

When you enter the first building, you're hit by an acrid stench of wood varnish and the air feels stifling. Descending into the ship can only be described as hellish. It reeks of varnish and the sweat of all of the visitors packed inside and milling about. You can barely breathe. You feel like you're suffocating in the foul air, like you're trapped in a varnished wooden tomb. There's no ventilation to speak of. The atmosphere is sauna-like, ironic for a museum about polar expeditions. Absolutely repulsive. I could still smell the place hours after leaving. I can understand that an old ship smells but surely there's some way to cool and ventilate the place. Either way, probably the worst place one could choose to be on a hot summer day.

After escaping from this malodorous hotbox through a narrow one-way route, the comparatively cool passage to the Gjøa in the other building is a relief. There's a bunch of information in the hallway about various polar explorers. Alright, though there aren't any interactive or particularly engaging elements. I'd say the main draw is no longer being in a stinking oven.

The Gjøa building is cooler, brighter, less smelly and less crowded. The (brief) movie they show in the 4D cinema there was the highlight of the visit. There's nothing else in the place that stood out in a good way.

I assume it's probably more tolerable when it's not so hot and crowded but I don't have any plans of finding out whether...