Smelthytta

Kristiansand

　　Built on the site of a former copper-smelting works that burnt down in 1975, this museum brings the town's mining heritage to life. Intricate working models demonstrate the water- and horse-powered smelting processes, and if you want to watch the real thing, live copper smelting demonstrations are held daily at...

Trolltunga

Kristiansand

　　A slender spur of rock projecting into the void above Lake Ringedalsvatnet, Trolltunga is one of Norway's most-photographed features, and – along with Preikestolen – one of the country's most popular hiking targets. The Troll's Tongue is an epic sight, but it's a tough hike of 23km, or 10 hours...

Atlanterhavsveien

Kristiansand

　　The eight storm-lashed bridges of the Atlantic Ocean Road buck and twist like sea serpents, connecting 17 islets between Vevang and the island of Averøya. The UK's Guardian newspaper once crowned it the world's best road trip. For a highway that is barely 8km long, the weight of expectation may...

Magdalenefjord

Kristiansand

　　The lovely blue-green bay of Magdalenefjord in Nordvest Spitsbergen, flanked by towering peaks and intimidating tidewater glaciers, is the most popular anchorage along Spitsbergen's western coast and is one of Svalbard's prettiest corners. If you catch it on a sunny day (or a moody one with atmospheric storm clouds lurking),...

Trollstigen

Kristiansand

　　This twisting, sky-topping corkscrew of a road is the most famous stretch of tarmac in Norway. Completed in 1936 after eight years of labour, the Troll's Ladder is a stunning feat of road building, spiralling up the mountainside through 11 hairpin bends and a 1:12 gradient, and after heavy rain,...

Galleri Stig Tobiassen

Svolvær

　　This place is another of Svolvær's fine little galleries that show and sell paintings in which the Lofotons are the focus. ...

Lofoten Temagalleri

Svolvær

　　The Lofoten Theme Gallery is very much the creation of one man, Geir Nøtnes, a keen photographer from a fishing background. It's devoted mainly to cod fishing and whaling, with plenty of photos and equipment. Ask to see the splendid 20-minute DVD about Lofoten through the seasons. ...

Lofoten Krigsminnemuseum

Svolvær

　　Housed in the town's old post office, Lofoten's little war-memorial museum recounts the islands' role in the drama of WWII, when the islands were occupied by the Nazis. The collection includes lots of fascinating period photos, plus original uniforms, ordnance and even a couple of (decommissioned) mines. ...

Nordnorsk Kunstnersenter

Svolvær

　　On the main square and beside the tourist office, the North Norwegian Artist's Centre hosts changing exhibitions of paintings, sculpture, ceramics and more by artists from northern Norway. Its shop is a good source for a tasteful souvenir of Norway's north. ...

Galleri Dagfinn Bakke

Svolvær

　　One of Svolvær's more interesting little private galleries, this place showcases works by local artist Dagfinn Bakke, in which the distinctive light and natural formations of Arctic Norway take centre stage, with a range of other painters also on display. As always, many of the pieces are for sale. ...

Magic Ice

Svolvær

　　Housed appropriately in what was once a fish-freezing plant, this is the ultimate place to chill out (perhaps with something to warm the spirit). The 500-sq-metre space is filled with huge ice sculptures, illustrating Lofoten life. If you can't return to northern Norway in winter, this is a great, if...

Foto Galleri

Svolvær

　　Stunning photos of the Lofoten Islands in all their brooding glory, most of them for sale, are the work of photographer Anders Finsland. It's worth stopping by even if you don't plan to buy. ...

KUBE

Ålesund

　　Ålesund's primary contemporary art space highlights Norwegian artists, as well as hosting the occasional design- and architecture-focused show. The old Bank of Norway building's upstairs gallery has a wonderful view of the harbour. Ticket price also covers entry to Jugendstil Senteret, next door. ...

Alnes Lighthouse

Ålesund

　　This picturesque 1853 lighthouse is in the fishing station of Alnes. For that end-of-the-world feeling, climb to the circular balcony via the five floors of this all-wood structure. Each displays the canvases of Norwegian artist and Godøy resident Ørnulf Opdahl. 　　There's also a cafe and an exhibition space in the...

Fishing Museum

Ålesund

　　The 1861 Holmbua warehouse (one of the very few buildings to survive the 1904 fire) has exhibits on the development of fishing across the centuries and special sections on klippfisk (salted cod) production and the processing of cod-liver oil. Its entrance area recreates an old grocery shop, a delight in...

Godøy

Ålesund

　　The furthest offshore island from Ålesund, Godøy has a real off-the-map feeling, especially in the depths of winter. There are some great walks here, and the island's lighthouse at Alnes has served as an important sailors' mark for centuries. You can climb to the top for wonderful views across the...

Atlanterhavsparken

Ålesund

　　At the peninsula's western extreme, 3km from the town centre, this aquarium can consume a whole day. Be introduced to the North Atlantic's teeming undersea world and the astonishing richness of coastal and fjord life. Children can dangle a line for crabs or feed the fish in the touch pool,...

Sunnmøre Museum

Ålesund

　　Ålesund's celebrated Sunnmøre Museum is 4km east of the centre. Here, at the site of the old Borgundkaupangen trading centre, active from the 11th to 16th centuries, over 50 traditional buildings have been relocated. Ship-lovers will savour the collection of around 40 historic boats, including replicas of Viking-era ships and...

Kniven Viewpoint

Ålesund

　　For the best view over Ålesund and its fishhook-shaped peninsula, as well as the mountains and islands beyond, head up the 418 steps to the summit of Aksla Hill and this panoramic viewing point. On a sunny day it's a cracking scene indeed, and it looks pretty special when the...

Jugendstil Senteret

Ålesund

　　The city's unique architectural heritage is documented in a former pharmacy, the first listed Jugendstil monument in Ålesund. Apart from the building's own exquisite and almost entirely original interior, including a sinuous staircase and florid dining room, displays include textiles, ceramics, furniture, posters and other ephemera. Even if you're not...

Jernaldergarden

Stavanger

　　Always wanted to experience life on an Iron Age farm c AD 350–550? Then this living exhibition 4km south of town is as close as you'll ever get. Staff in period dress greet you with cakes cooked over the hearth, and you can watch displays of farming, food preparation, tanning,...

Stavanger Kunstmuseum

Stavanger

　　This museum, 2.5km south of the town centre, displays Norwegian art from the 18th century to the present, including the haunting Gamle Furutrær and other landscape paintings by Stavanger's own Lars Hertervig (1830–1902). There's a large collection for other important Norwegian artists too, such as Frida Hansen, Kitty Kielland and...

Stavanger Museum

Stavanger

　　Stavanger's main museum was founded in the 19th century, and it's a typically wide-ranging affair, encompassing everything from Stavanger's history to Viking culture and a vast array of spooky stuffed animals in the natural history section. It's in a huge, rather gloomy building on Muségata, which was renovated in 2017...

Norwegian Children's Museum

Stavanger

　　Dragging kids round a museum can be a tough proposition, but this is one place that's designed specifically with them in mind. It traces the changing story of childhood through the ages, with a particular emphasis on toys: there are more than 6000 individual items on display here, from antique...

Stavanger Domkirke

Stavanger

　　This beautiful church is an impressive but understated medieval stone cathedral dating from approximately 1125; it was extensively renovated following a fire in 1272 and contains traces of Gothic, baroque, Romanesque and Anglo-Norman influences. Despite restoration in the 1860s and in 1940, and the stripping of some features during the...

Gamle Stavanger

Stavanger

　　Gamle (Old) Stavanger, above the western shore of the harbour, is a delight. The Old Town's cobblestone walkways pass between rows of late-18th-century whitewashed wooden houses, all immaculately kept and adorned with cheerful, well-tended flower boxes. It well rewards an hour of ambling and may see you casually perusing property...

Canning Museum

Stavanger

　　Don't miss this surprising museum housed in an old cannery: it's one of Stavanger's most entertaining. Before oil, there were sardines, and Stavanger was once home to more than half of Norway's canning factories. By 1922 the city's canneries provided 50% of the town's employment. The exhibits here take you...

Norsk Oljemuseum

Stavanger

　　Admittedly, the prospect of an 'oil museum' doesn't sound like the most promising option for an afternoon out, but this state-of-the-art place exploring the history of North Sea oil exploration is well worth visiting. The volume of information is staggering: highlights include the world's largest drill bit, simulated rigs and...

Blåst

Tromsø

　　Pass by the world's most northerly glass-blowing workshop to see the young team puffing their cheeks and perhaps to pick up an item or two. ...

Perspektivet

Tromsø

　　Dating from 1838, Perspektivet houses a permanent photo exhibition illustrating Tromsø's history and mounts quality temporary displays too. ...

Tromsø Kunstforening

Tromsø

　　The Tromsø branch of this national contemporary art foundation makes the most of its late-19th-century premises and promotes rotating exhibitions of contemporary art. ...

Polar Museum

Tromsø

　　Fittingly for a town that was the launch pad for many pioneering expeditions to the North Pole, Tromsø's Polar Museum is an old-fashioned romp through life in the Arctic, taking in everything from the history of trapping to the ground-breaking expeditions of Nansen and Amundsen. There are some fascinating artefacts...

Polaria

Tromsø

　　This Arctic-themed attraction provides a multimedia introduction to northern Norway and Svalbard. Kick things off by watching the two panoramic films: Northern Lights in Arctic Norway and Svalbard – Arctic Wilderness, then follow the 'Arctic Walkway' past exhibits on shrinking sea ice, the aurora borealis, aquariums of cold-water fish and...

Tromsø University Museum

Tromsø

　　Near the southern end of Tromsøya, this museum has well-presented and documented displays on traditional and modern Sami life, ecclesiastical art and accoutrements, and a small section on the Vikings. Downstairs, learn about rocks of the north and ponder a number of thought-provoking themes (such as the role of fire,...

Fjellheisen

Tromsø

　　For a fine view of the city and the midnight sun, take the cable car to the top of Mt Storsteinen (421m). There's a terrace and (pricey) restaurant at the top, from where a network of hiking routes radiates. Departures in both directions are on the hour and half hour....

Arctic Cathedral

Tromsø

　　The 11 triangles of the Arctic Cathedral (1965) suggest glacial crevasses and auroral curtains. The glowing stained-glass window that occupies the east end depicts Christ descending to earth, while the west end is filled by a futuristic organ and icicle-like chandeliers of Czech crystal. Despite its position beside one of...

Kristiansten Fort

Trondheim

　　For a bird's-eye view of the city, climb 10 minutes from the Gamle Bybro to Kristiansten Fort, built after Trondheim's great fire of 1681. During WWII the Nazis used it as a prison and execution ground for members of the Norwegian Resistance. The grounds are open year-round at no cost,...

Ringve Music Museum

Trondheim

　　The Ringve Museum is Norway's national museum for music and musical instruments. The Russian-born owner was a devoted collector of rare and antique musical instruments, which students demonstrate. You can also browse the old barn with its rich collection of instruments from around the world. The botanic gardens, set within...

Gamle Bybro

Trondheim

　　There's been a bridge here since 1681, connecting the city with the Kristiansten Fort and guarded at each end by a watch-house (although only one now remains, currently occupied by a kindergarten). The present bridge dates from 1861, and it's a beauty – pedestrianised and clad in planks, it's the...

Sverresborg Trøndelag Folkemuseum

Trondheim

　　Three kilometres west of the centre, this folk museum is one of the best of its kind in Norway. The indoor exhibition, Livsbilder (Images of Life), displays artefacts in use over the last 150 years – from clothing to school supplies to ornate sleds. The rest of the museum is...

Stiftsgården

Trondheim

　　Scandinavia's largest wooden palace, the 140-room late-baroque Stiftsgården, was constructed as a private residence in the late 18th century, at the height of Trondheim's golden age. It is now the official royal residence in Trondheim. Admission is by tour only, every hour on the hour. The publicly accessible garden around...

Archbishop's Palace

Trondheim

　　The 12th-century archbishop's residence (Erkebispegården), commissioned around 1160 and Scandinavia's oldest secular building, is beside the cathedral. In its west wing, you'll find Norway's shimmering crown jewels and its museum. After visiting the well-displayed statues, gargoyles and carvings from the cathedral, drop to the lower level with a selection of...

Rockheim

Trondheim

　　This terrific museum is devoted to pop and rock music, mainly Norwegian, from the 1950s until yesterday. It's a dockside temple to R&B, where a huge projecting roof featuring Norwegian record covers extends above an equally vast converted warehouse. Within, there's plenty of action and interaction (mix your own hip-hop...

Nidaros Domkirke

Trondheim

　　Nidaros Cathedral is Scandinavia's largest medieval building, and the northernmost Gothic structure in Europe. Outside, the ornately embellished, altar-like west wall has top-to-bottom statues of biblical characters and Norwegian bishops and kings, sculpted in the early 20th century. Several are copies of medieval originals, nowadays housed in the adjacent museum....

Hanseatic Museum

Bergen

　　This interesting museum provides a window into the world of Hanseatic traders. Housed in a rough-timber building dating from 1704, it starkly reveals the contrast between the austere living and working conditions of the merchant sailors and apprentices, and the comfortable lifestyle of the trade partners. 　　Highlights include the manager's...