Norwegian Folk Museum

Lonely Planet review

Norway's largest open-air museum and one of Oslo's premier attractions is the Norwegian Folk Museum. The museum includes more than 140 buildings, mostly from the 17th and 18th centuries, gathered from around the country, rebuilt and organized according to region of origin. Paths wind past old barns, elevated stabbur (raised storehouses) and rough-timbered farmhouses with sod roofs sprouting wildflowers.

The Gamlebyen (Old Town) section is a reproduction of an early-20th-century Norwegian town and includes a village shop and old petrol station; in summer (daily except Saturday) you can see weaving and pottery-making demonstrations. Another highlight is the restored stave church, built around 1200 in Gol and shifted to Bygdøy in 1885. The exhibition hall near the main entrance includes exhaustive displays on Norwegian folk art, historic toys, national costumes (including traditional clothing used for weddings, christenings and burials), the Sami culture of Finnmark, domestic and farming tools and appliances, as well as visiting exhibits. Sunday is a good day to visit, as folk music and dancing is staged at 14:00 (in summer). Other daily summer highlights include carriage rides (noon- 16:00 ) and children won't want to miss a chance to feed the farm animals at 13:00 . It's the definitive guide to traditional Norwegian culture - don't miss it.