Norway's Resistance Museum (Norges Hjemmefront Museum), Oslo

...not least of which was Norway's Resistance Museum.

We actually considered going to this museum on the very first day we ventured out to see the capital, but we decided not to in the end because it looked rather unimpressive from the outside and we hadn't decided which days we were going to buy an Oslo Pass (card for getting free access/discounts to attractions) yet. In the end we actually visited this museum on our last day in Oslo. ...
...go into more detail about in my Holmenkollen review) we opted for a 48 hour pass for 300 NOK (c. £27) and this didn't begin until it was stamped at the first attraction you visited. As we didn't get our pass stamped until 11.30 on the day we bought it, it effectively ran over three days, as we were able to use it for the morning of our last day.

'''Location and Prices'''

The Resistance Museum is housed in an old, but ... more

If you have been reading my recent reviews then you'll know that my boyfriend and I took a Christmas holiday to Oslo, Norway in December last year. While we were over there we went to loads of different museums and galleries, not least of which was Norway's Resistance Museum.

We actually considered going to this museum on the very first day we ventured out to see the capital, but we decided not to in the end because it looked rather unimpressive from the outside and we hadn't decided which days we were going to buy an Oslo Pass (card for getting free access/discounts to attractions) yet. In the end we actually visited this museum on our last day in Oslo. When we purchased our Oslo Pass (of which I go into more detail about in my Holmenkollen review) we opted for a 48 hour pass for 300 NOK (c. £27) and this didn't begin until it was stamped at the first attraction you visited. As we didn't get our pass stamped until 11.30 on the day we bought it, it effectively ran over three days, as we were able to use it for the morning of our last day.

Location and Prices

The Resistance Museum is housed in an old, but modest looking building within the grounds of the Akershus Fort. It's pretty well signposted and there are maps on boards as you enter the grounds so you can locate it pretty well. We'd printed out information from the visit Oslo website before leaving the UK, so we had all the details to hand which helped. There is a banner on the building clearly marking it as the Resistance Museum, so it's hard to miss, despite being rather small.

Without an Oslo Pass entrance to the museum is very reasonable. Tickets are sold at 30 NOK (c. £2.80) for an adult and 15 NOK (c. £1.44) for a child, but with the Oslo Pass admission is completely free. We might not have decided to go to this museum if I hadn't read a review elsewhere online about how worthwhile it was to see. The small size of the museum and the low entrance prices don't set the museum up as being somewhere particularly good to see, but my impression certainly changed as we entered what turned out to be a veritable Tardis of a museum.

So Much to See

When we entered the museum we were told to start from the right and work our way round. This was useful advise as the museum is set out chronologically, detailing the Norwegian resistance movement whilst Norway was under Nazi occupation in the Second World War. My knowledge of this subject before visiting the museum was next to nil, so if I'd read the information boards in the wrong order then it would have been highly confusing.

We were initially confronted with an immense stack of guns; all with the barrels pointing towards us. This was a very effective method of taking the visitor off their guard, although it might be disturbing to small children. It set the tone for the fear inherent in this period of occupation.

To begin with most of the displays on the walls were pieces of text explaining how Norway was occupied and some very well made dioramas of certain key events. As with all wartime dioramas there was a profusion of cotton wool on display, but the importance of each event depicted was not trivialised. My knowledge of the occupation of countries throughout the Second World War came mainly from History lessons at school and the odd TV documentary, so it was all a bit general and not particularly informed before visiting this museum.

As I followed the designated route around the museum the exhibits became more interesting as we were shown original letters, newspapers and secret documents. Most of these were either in Norwegian or German, but there was almost always an English translation nearby. It was particularly interesting to see propaganda posters put up by the Nazis around Norway and to read about the Norwegian resistance's reactions to them.

Smuggling Documents and Hidden Radios

Up to this point I'd found the information very interesting, but I can imagine a family with small children being dragged round the museum much more quickly as after the initial dioramas there wasn't much visually for small children. However, in the downstairs section of the museum there were a whole range of artefacts used by the Norwegian resistance to pick up radio signals and smuggle secret documents.

From basic radios that could be hidden in ordinary objects to ones that were fitted inside someone's dentures (!!), this display proved really interesting and also demonstrative of the efforts the Norwegian resistance went to to keep up their fight against the occupying forces. I won't tell you in too much detail abou6t the other objects on display because its worth discovering it for yourself. You'll be amazed at some of the ingenious ideas that were taken up in order to pass messages.

Underground Press

In the downstairs section there were also numerous examples of the underground press that started up to counter the propaganda spreads by the Nazis and to keep up the country's morale. Due to lack of access to printing facilities, many of these papers were actually stencilled and the distribution was carried out secretly. Sadly many writers and publishers of the underground press were arrested by the Nazis and there were photos that told of when many Norwegian prisoners were held in their own Akerhus Fort.

The Achievements of the Norwegian Resistance

The museum ended with details of how the Second World War ended and what then happened in Norway. I felt that this was a really worthwhile museum to visit as I learned a lot about people who put their lives at risk in their efforts to resist the Nazi occupation. The resistance movement was far more widespread than I'd imagined and those who took part in the movement carried out operations that physically disabled the military power of the Nazis, as well as boosting the morale of the country.

Toilets & Accessibility

About halfway round the museum we came across the toilets. These aren't very well signposted, but are located just next to the school desks. I wouldn't say they were amazing, but they were clean and adequate. The aisles around the museum were fairly wide, but we came across stairs halfway through the museum and I didn't see a lift anywhere. It may be that they don't have a lift as it is housed in quite an old building.

Worth a Visit?

With or without an Oslo Pass I'd definitely make an effort to visit this museum if you are visiting Oslo. As an adult I found this museum took about 45 minutes to go round and take all the displays in, but with children you might find you're dragged around in a far shorter length of time. I'd also note that there are some displays with barbed wire around them. Although the points of the barbed wire have been blunted, they could still pose a risk to small children if they fell on it.

This is such a cheap museum to visit and it's no distance from the city centre. I felt I had a much better understanding of Norwegian history after visiting it, and I'd advise anyone else who wants to know a bit more about the place they are visiting to check it out too.

Thanks for reading and don't forget to check out the photographs!

©tac20 

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