University Museum of Bergen — Museum of History
The University Museum of Bergen is one of Norway’s oldest research museums, housing collections that span natural history, archaeology, anthropology, zoology, botany, and geology. Its Museum of History section is dedicated to cultural heritage, with extensive collections covering Norwegian antiquities, medieval artefacts, and ethnographic objects from across the world. Founded as part of the University of Bergen, the museum serves both as a leading research institution and a major public attraction in western Norway.
At a glance
- Type
- University museum — history and natural sciences
- Period
- Founded 1825 as Bergen Museum; incorporated into University of Bergen 1946
- Style
- Neoclassical and historicist museum buildings
- Location
- Muséplass 3, 5007 Bergen, Norway · 60.3868° N, 5.3183° E
Overview
The University Museum of Bergen encompasses several departments covering natural history, archaeology, and cultural history, with the Museum of History focusing on artefacts ranging from the Stone Age to the medieval period. The collections include Viking Age finds, medieval ecclesiastical objects, and extensive ethnographic holdings from Norway’s seafaring and maritime heritage. As part of the University of Bergen, the museum integrates active academic research with public education across multiple disciplines.
History
Bergen Museum was established in 1825, predating the University of Bergen by more than a century, and was one of the first scientific institutions in Norway. Throughout the 19th century it built up significant collections of natural specimens and archaeological material from excavations across western Norway. When the University of Bergen was founded in 1946, the museum was incorporated as its primary research and collections body. The Museum of History section has since become a major repository for Norwegian Viking Age and medieval artefacts.
What you see
The Museum of History displays Viking Age jewellery, weapons, and everyday objects excavated from burial mounds and settlement sites across western Norway. Permanent galleries present medieval ecclesiastical art including altar frontals, carved wooden figures, and liturgical objects recovered from Norwegian stave churches. The building itself occupies a dignified historicist structure in the university quarter, surrounded by botanical gardens that form part of the wider museum complex.
Cultural significance
The University Museum of Bergen holds one of the most important collections of Viking Age material in Norway, making it an essential reference point for Scandinavian medieval scholarship. Its holdings of medieval church art represent an irreplaceable record of pre-Reformation Norwegian religious culture, much of which was destroyed elsewhere during the Reformation period.
Practical information
- Address
- Muséplass 3, 5007 Bergen, Norway
- Opening hours
- Check official website for current hours
- Admission
- Check official website for current prices
- Website
- uib.no/en/universitetsmuseet
Getting there
The museum is centrally located in Bergen’s university district, within walking distance of the city centre. Bergen is served by Bergen Airport Flesland, with frequent express train connections to the city centre. Local bus and light rail (Bybanen) services stop near the museum. From Bergen city centre the museum is approximately 15 minutes on foot.