Kon-Tiki Museet

About the museum

The Kon-Tiki Museet presents the life's work of Thor Heyerdahl, the explorer who in 1947 sailed the balsa raft Kon-Tiki from Peru to Polynesia to show that people from South America could have reached the Pacific islands. The museum opened in 1950 in a temporary building and moved into its present premises at Bygdøynes in 1957. Since it opened, almost 20 million people have visited the museum.

The exhibitions follow Heyerdahl's journeys, from his first trip to Fatu Hiva to the voyages with Kon-Tiki, Ra, Ra II and Tigris, and to the expeditions to the Galápagos, Easter Island and Túcume in Peru. At the centre stand the original Kon-Tiki raft and the reed boat Ra II, which Heyerdahl and his crew used to cross the Atlantic in 1970.

In an underwater exhibition beneath the raft, visitors see models of sharks and fish, and can walk through a 30-metre-long copy of a cave from Easter Island. The museum also shows Heyerdahl's personal library and the Oscar statuette for the documentary film about the Kon-Tiki expedition. The film is shown every day in the cinema on the lower ground floor.

In summer 2026 a new exhibition opened around and beneath the Kon-Tiki raft, with light and sound recreating the voyage across the Pacific, and Easter Island has received a new exhibition. The museum is a private foundation that runs without public support, and its director is Thor Heyerdahl's grandchild Liv Heyerdahl.

Highlights

• The original Kon-Tiki raft from 1947
• The reed boat Ra II from the Atlantic expedition in 1970
• Underwater exhibition beneath the raft and a nine-metre whale shark
• 30-metre-long copy of a cave from Easter Island
• The original Kon-Tiki film, shown every day at 12:00

Permanent exhibitions

• Kon-Tiki-flåten – The exhibition around and beneath the original raft recreates the voyage across the Pacific with light and sound and shows an underwater world.
• Påskeøya – A new exhibition about Heyerdahl's expedition to Easter Island, with a 30-metre-long copy of a cave.

Founded

1950

Operated by

Kon-Tiki Museet (privat stiftelse)

Director

Liv Heyerdahl

Admission & discounts

Free admission with Oslo Pass and for school groups. The audio guide, the cinema and a quiz for children with a prize are included in the ticket. There is a combined ticket for Kon-Tiki, Norsk Maritimt Museum and Frammuseet. A guided tour with a guide costs extra and can be booked by e-mail to shop@kon-tiki.no.

Accessibility

• Wheelchair accessible
• Elevator: no information
• 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 equipped with ramps, so wheelchairs and strollers can be used.

Kids & families

Great for kids & families

• Family tours & workshops
• Activity booklet, scavenger hunt or kids’ audio guide
• Hands-on stations
• Stroller-friendly
• Playground / play area

The Kon-Tiki and Ra exhibitions are designed for children, and the crab Johannes and the monkey Safi follow the stories. The museum has an activity corner for the youngest, where children can slide down from the raft, a riddle with a prize and interactive stations. Also suitable for five-year-olds.

Getting there & parking

Oslo Bysykkel (city bikes) is available all year round, and it takes about 20 minutes to cycle from Nationaltheatret to the museum.

Amenities & dining

• Museum shop

The museum shop is open during the museum's opening hours, has a wide range of gifts by Norwegian designers and a small bookshop, and can be visited without a ticket. Across the street is a café with simple refreshments.

Events & venue rental

• Spaces for rent
• Private parties
• Corporate events

Up to 150 guests.

Formal dinner for up to 75 people by the Kon-Tiki raft, standing buffet for up to 150 people, and larger groups can use the whole museum.

Plan your visit