A visit to a museum may not always be the first choice for children, but some museum visits can certainly be a hit with children as well.
Bergen has a rich diversity of museums with different themes, and many of them have their own activities for children that are both engaging and educational. Since Bergen is the city between the seven mountains, we have chosen exactly seven museums in Bergen your children will love!
1. Travel back in time in Old Bergen
What was it like living in Bergen a long time ago? In Old Bergen, the doors to the past are open for you! In the summer you can also meet actors such as Mr. or Mrs. Regens. They lived in 1826 and are happy to take you back in time and tell you about how people lived back then. The actors also offer dramatized stories and guided tours as well outdoor games from the good old days. In the kiosk they sell ice cream, soft drinks and coffee, but feel free to bring food and drinks for a picnic in the green. NB! There is a barbecue ban in the whole area.
After a visit to the museum, it is also just a short stroll to Elsesro seawater pool, which is located right next to Old Bergen's beautiful park area. The museum is a short bike ride or walk from the center (approx. 3 km), or you can arrive by sea with "Beffen".
Photo: Gjertrud Coutinho
2. Experience the world underwater at the Norwegian Fisheries Museum
At the Norwegian Fisheries Museum, you can take a deep dive into the significance of fishing for Norway and get the feeling of being below sea level in the exhibition «the world under water». The museum also offers rental of rowing boats in the summer. Or free loan of environmental kayaks if you want to give the environment a helping hand and pick some litter in combination with a nice paddle along the sea. The small boat "Beffen" also has a stop at the Norwegian Fisheries Museum.
Photo: Norwegian Fisheries Museum/Museum Vest
3. Do you dare to go down into the dungeon in the Rosenkrantz Tower?
In the Rosenkrantz Tower you can climb steep stairs from room to room. Princesses and princes lived here in the Middle Ages. In the basement there is a dark and (at least a little) scary dungeon, and at the very top you will find the cannons. Two of them are more than 400 years old. Maybe you'll also find the king's secret along the way?
Photo: Rosenkrantz Tower/Bymuseet i Bergen
4. See the treasures from underground at Bryggens Museum!
Experience the Middle Ages and see all the different things that has been found underground in Bergen and Western Norway. In the exhibition "Under the Earth", archaeologists have found small and large treasures that tell stories about life in Bergen more than 500 years ago. Some of the things are hidden so it is an advantage not to be an adult if you are going to find them. Do you dare to smell the scents of the Middle Ages? How were the toys for the children who lived in Bergen at that time? At Bryggens Museum children can also learn about runes and runic writing and solve problems in a puzzle booklet.
Photo: The exhibition Under the Earth/Bryggens Museum/Bymuseet Bergen
5. Hunt ship rats or make an elastic boat at Bergen Maritime Museum
At the Bergen Maritime Museum you will find treasures from the seabed, bullets and cannons, Viking ships and galleon figures. This summer they also offer «rat hunting#, where the children can look for the ship rats that have been hiding around the museum. If the children want to try their hand as an artist, they can borrow easels and drawing equipment and create their own work of art. Or how about building an elastic boat and seeing how it floats across the water?
Photo: Bergen Maritime Museum
6. Hear the whale sing at the University Museum – natural history
At the University Museum - natural history you can see the world's smallest and the world's largest terrestrial mammal - the mouse and the elephant. Have you ever wondered how a weather forecast is made, or are you wondering what a whale's song sounds like? Join in and explore the seabed at several thousand meters deep. Do you know that crystals grow in cracks in the rock? Inside the mountain you can hear stories from various stones that people have used.
Small birds can fly incredibly far - why do they do that, really? The plants do well without us, but we do not do without them. They give us food and clothes and much more. Insects are small beautiful animals that we must learn to take good care of. At the museum you learn how.
Photo: Visit Bergen / Casper Steinsland - visitBergen.com
7. Travel with the museum tram
At the Bergens Tekniske Museum you will find old Fløibane funicular carriages, buses from the 50s, royal cars and much more. To get to the museum, you can take the museum tram from the city centre. It usually only runs on Sundays, so check in advance. The trip is only 1.5 km but quite popular with the children.
Foto: Bergens Tekniske Museum
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