The entire history of Norway is tied with a maritime knot to the unity of Norwegians and the sea. Roald Dahl, the famous Norwegian-British writer, once said: "Every Norwegian has at least one boat."
Shipbuilding, seafaring, fishing, and later the extraction of minerals from the continental shelf - these crafts have always been the main ones in Norway, shaping the way of life and everyday habits, forming the Nordic mentality of stern sailors and fishermen. The history of the long relationship between Norwegians and the sea is presented in the Norwegian Maritime Museum.
The museum occupies two buildings on the coast of the Bygdoy Peninsula. The first part of the museum houses an extensive collection of everything related to fishing and navigation. Whaling, which played an important role in the development of the country, is not overlooked either. The entire museum is permeated with a fishy smell, coming from old nets and bundles of real dried cod hanging everywhere like garlands.
The history of Norwegian shipbuilding is also quite fascinating. One of the Norwegian ships that has survived to this day dates back to the 2nd century BC! The second building of the museum displays parts of ships, beautiful antique figureheads, and even entire racing yachts famous for victories in competitions. There are also exact replicas of the rooms of large vessels here - the forecastle, the galley with all the ship's utensils, the captain's and sailors' cabins, where you can truly feel like a real old salt!
