Olga at Oslo Maritime Museum in Norway

November 9, 2008
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I still have the pleasure of guiding our distinguished guest around Norway: the one and only Olga, a globe-trotting Bra (scroll down for an introduction and read about our visit to The Royal Castle, Vigeland Sculpture Park and the new Oslo Opera House!). Olga is eager to learn more about the Norwegian, our background and heritage and is always ask for more. So today we took her to The Maritime Museum to show the nations sailing and shipbuilding history from Viking times all the way to the modern cruise ship.

In the museum you get the feeling of the old sailing ships and steam vessels and can walk through some of their interiors, as well as examine maritime objects and exquisite ship models on display. It also houses all kinds of objects found on the sea bed and a collection of maritime curiosities. Let’s start to see how Olga loves to be in charge and steer the show from here (click all pics to enlarge and enjoy!):

Olga at Oslo Maritime Museum #1

This is the deck of Bark Lingård, build in Grimstad, Norway in 1893. It was used as a tramp ship and rounded Cap Horn. In 1915 it was sold to Australia and renamed Wathara, then again to Finland in 1925 and given back the original name. Olga of course wondered if there were any sailors onboard, so we went inside to see how the sailors lived:
Olga at Oslo Maritime Museum #4 Olga at Oslo Maritime Museum #3
Left: Bunk beds – Right: The Galley


Norwegian Polar Expeditions – The three famous polar vessels:
Olga at Oslo Maritime Museum #5

Fram (left); Used by Fritjof Nansen as expedition leader when drifted across the Polar Sea, from the New Siberian Island to Spitsbergen in 1893-96, reaching 85º North.
Roald Amundsen used the same boat to the Antarctic when he beat Scott to be the first on the South Pole on the 4th of December 1911.
Gjøa (front): Roald Amundsen and his crew where the first to complete the Northwest Passage east and north of America. Materials of great scientific value where gathered 1903-06.
Maud (right): Used by Amundsen to fulfil the comprehensive scientific north of Siberian coast in 1918-25 as well as the second ship completing the Northwest Passage in 1920.

Olga thought that Roald Amundsen must have been a very tough explorer, and when I told her Amundsen had seen Polar Bears on his exhibition, she demanded to see one too:
Olga at Oslo Maritime Museum #6
The closer the better for Olga you know!


Norwegian America Liners:
Kristianiafjord entered service in 1913 between Oslo and New York and was sorely lost at Cape Race already in 1917:
Olga at Oslo Maritime Museum #7
Olga wanted to see inside the ship too:
Olga at Oslo Maritime Museum #8 Olga at Oslo Maritime Museum #9


Lets end with the oldest: The Viking Age:
In the period of 800 – 1050 A.D., Norwegian, Swedish and Danish Vikings made extensive voyages for conquering and raiding as well as commercial purposes. Strongholds were established on the Atlantic islands, as well as Greenland, North America, England, Ireland, France and central Russia.
Olga at Oslo Maritime Museum #10

The oldest Nordic boats built of planks from about 0 A.D. were discovered in Denmark. It took around 1000 years before this craft had developed into ocean-going rowing and sailing vessels, as examples by the large clinker-build Viking ships.

Olga went home with us, satisfied and filled with impressions to the brim. She has her own blog too of course. Go visit and tell her if you like the way she explore and show off in Norway!

Update:
I always have my lovely wife with me while showing Olga around. She’s a great photographer as you can see and a lovely supporter. Walking around with me and Olga in the museum, she found more interesting things to see so go visit her post and see this adventure through her eyes!

Culture, History, Travel Norway