Frammuseet

About the museum

Frammuseet is built around the polar ship Fram, which Colin Archer designed and built to order for Fridtjof Nansen. The ship was used by Nansen, Otto Sverdrup and Roald Amundsen on expeditions to both the Arctic and the Antarctic. After Fram returned from Buenos Aires in 1914, the ship lay moored at Horten, exposed to wind and weather, and several committees tried in vain to preserve it.

Otto Sverdrup was elected chairman of the committee for the preservation of Fram in 1925 and fought for years to save the ship. In 1929 it was towed to a shipyard in Sandefjord, and in 1930 it had been restored to how it was during Sverdrup's expedition. The Oslo Architectural Association held a competition for a building for the ship, and the architect Bjarne Tøien won with the proposal “Saga”.

Fram was moved into the new building at Bygdøynes, and the museum opened on 20 May 1936 in the presence of King Haakon VII and Crown Prince Olav. In 2013 Gjøa, the first ship to sail the entire Northwest Passage, also got its own building beside it. The Gjøa building is connected to the Fram building by an underground tunnel.

Today the museum presents the best-known polar expeditions. In 2018 Fram was re-rigged and opened to the public with cabins, workshop, engine room and cargo hold. Visitors can go on board and below deck. In 2025 the museum had over 413,000 visitors.

Highlights

• The polar ship Fram, the strongest wooden ship in the world, where you can go on board and below deck
• Gjøa, the first ship through the entire Northwest Passage
• 4D polar flight simulator about Amundsen's flight towards the North Pole in 1925
• The exhibition Arctic Exploration about almost 100 expeditions
• The polar simulator Trapped in the Ice

Permanent exhibitions

• Fram – The polar ship Fram is the strongest wooden ship in the world. Visitors can go on board and see cabins, cargo holds, galley, engine room and saloons.
• Gjøa – Gjøa was the first ship to sail through the entire Northwest Passage, and it stands in its own building linked to the Fram building.
• Arktisk utforskning – The exhibition gives an insight into almost 100 expeditions to the Arctic over five centuries.

Founded

1936

Operated by

Stiftelsen til bevarelse av Polarskibet Fram

Visitors per year

approx. 413,000 (2025)

Admission & discounts

Free admission with Oslo Pass. Pupils from Norwegian schools and nursery schools accompanied by a teacher have free admission, and children in SFO or AKS (after-school care) are free together with staff. A school guided tour costs NOK 800 per group.

Accessibility

• Partially wheelchair accessible
• Elevator
• Accessible restroom: no information
• Accessible parking: no information
• Service dogs welcome: no information
• Tactile models & exhibits: no information
• Sign language tours: no information
• Easy-to-read materials: no information
• Audio description: no information

The museum is largely accessible for wheelchair users, but it is not possible to go below deck on Fram in a wheelchair. There is a standard lift in both buildings and a wheelchair lift down to Gjøa for manual wheelchairs. Electric wheelchairs can use a rear door to Gjøa. The museum has one wheelchair for loan for adults and one for children.

Kids & families

Great for kids & families

• Hands-on stations

The museum has its own family ticket and simulators, including a 4D polar flight simulator and the polar simulator Trapped in the Ice, which suit children.

Getting there & parking

The museum is on Bygdøy just outside central Oslo and can also be reached by bike or with a city bike. The nearest neighbours are Kon-Tiki Museet and Norsk Maritimt Museum.

Amenities & dining

• Café
• Museum shop

Framheim café has seven wooden cabins with polar motifs and some tables outside in the museum area. The museum also has a shop and an online shop.

Events & venue rental

• Spaces for rent
• Private parties
• Corporate events

Up to 900 guests.

The premises can be rented after closing time: the deck of Fram, the Amundsen saloon, the Explorers' Club and the Gjøa building. The whole museum can host a reception for up to 900 people.

Plan your visit