10 of Bergen's Top Museums
Bergen was the capital of Norway for centuries and one of the most important cities in northern Europe for even longer; as a result, it is full of interesting history and culture, much of which is uniquely Norwegian. An influential city within the Hanseatic League network and an important point of contact between Europe and the northernmost parts of Scandinavia, here are some of the museums that honor and share this vast history and culture.
1. The Hanseatic Museum
Museum
Active in Bergen for 400 years between the 14th and 18th centuries, it brought great wealth and a large foreign population to the city and also had a huge impact on the city—German has even influenced the local dialect. The museum also includes artifacts from the time and rooms kept as they were during the days of the Hanseatic League, whose members lived and worked in the Bryggen area.
2. KODE
In 2006, the art and music museums in Bergen combined. Now known collectively as KODE, the five united museums house one of the largest and most varied artistic collections in northern Europe, including a Munch collection to rival the two in Oslo. The KODE art collections are located in four buildings known as KODE 1-4 in central Bergen (easily within reach of one another) and each of the formerly-independent museums is worth visiting for its architecture alone—they make up some of the most beautiful buildings in Bergen.
KODE 1, Nordahl Bruns gate 9, 5012 Bergen, Norway, +47 53 00 97 04
3. Grieg Museum
Concert Hall, Museum
Troldhaugen is a little out of the way, but all through the summer buses will depart from the tourist information centre at 11 am and return by 2 pm. The round trip costs 250 kroner and includes access to the museum as well as a great 30-minute Grieg concert. The museum is part of the KODE museums, but it has kept some independence.
5. VilVite Science Centre
Museum
6. Gamle Bergen Museum
Museum, Building
7. The Cultural History Museum
Building, Museum, University
8. Bergen's Maritime Museum
Museum
9. Norwegian Fisheries Museum
Museum
10. Bryggen Museum
Museum
11. A Bonus Museum and a Note
Museum
Finally, those planning on visiting more than one museum, check whether a combination ticket may work—several of the museums in Bergen are run by the same organisations (e.g. the Hanseatic, Bryggen, and Fishery Museums), so those hoping to check out multiple museums may be able to pick up a discount.
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