Sara and Robyn say “Hallo”

June 30: Oslo

Today was our museum day. We bought an “Oslo pass” which gave us free transport and entry to numerous museums.

We took a ferry across the Oslo fjord to Bygday where the Kontiki and Fram museums are located. Both were small but fascinating museums.

Do you remember hearing about the Kontiki expedition? In 1947, Thor Heyerdahl and his crew of 5 men and 1 parrot, sailed from Peru to Polynesia on a balsa raft. Heyerdahl was trying to prove that people from early South American civilisation could have reached Polynesia on seafaring vessels. The voyage took 101 days and it was the first time that a balsa wood raft had been tested at sea. Interestingly Heyerdahl had minimal swimming skills and no experience as a sailor! As they were nearing Polynesia, their raft hit a coral reef. The crew was tossed in every direction, the mast broke, and the creaking from the logs was heard even through the ocean breaking on the reef. They all made it to shore and salvaged every piece of valuable equipment. Modern research has shown that Heyerdahl’s theory was only partly right.

The museum has the original raft and some excellent exhibits and film footage of the voyage.

The Fram museum was next. It is named after the first Norwegian ship built specifically for polar research. The museum had exhibits about the polar expeditions of Nansen and Amundsen, both Norwegian, and also the British polar explorer Robert Scott.

Nansen wanted to show that a ship could withstand the dreaded ice of the Arctic Ocean. That ship was the Fram. The ship’s construction was an innovation – it had a rounded hull with small sides so the ice could not get a grip to press the ship down, but on the contrary would push it upwards like a round nut squeezed between two fingers.

The Fram was used for 3 important expeditions, with the first expedition in 1893 and lasting 3 years. It was a 3 masted schooner and the ship is now housed in this museum, where you can roam through the entire ship.

The sledge dogs were the most important factor in Amundsen’s plan to reach the Pole. Robert Scott had an entirely different plan – he used motorised sledges.

Here’s me joining the famous Norwegian polar explorers, and the view from the museum.

Next was the new National Museum which only opened last June. Fascinating displays of dresses from the Norwegian royal family, Norwegian designer jewellery, industrial design from the 1960s until today, video and gaming innovations, and lots of art including the famous painting by Munch, called “The scream”.

Lovely view from the top of the Museum. Look at the cloud formations.

Our final museum was the Astrup Fearnly museum of contemporary art. Many weird creations and paintings, including these.

This museum was located at the end of a buzzing dockside promenade, with great views.

We tried to visit the Nobel Peace centre but it was closed for renovation. The best we could do is a picture of its entrance.

Another great day.