Things to do with kids in Bergen

Things to do with kids in Bergen

1. See

   Alvøen

   An old and picturesque former industrial community on the west coast of the Bergen peninsula. The manor building at Alvøen has been converted into a museum with several exhibitions.

   for entrance to the main building: kr 50; students: kr. 25, children: free

2. See

   Bergen Aquarium

   Akvariet i Bergen

   The aquarium has a nice selection of aquatic life, especially penguins and seals. Typical Norwegian aquatic life is well documented, and there is also a collection of tropical fish and animals and a shark tank with an underwater glass tunnel. Fun for kids.

   Daily 10:00–18:00·Adult kr 250, child kr 150

3. See

   Bergen Maritime Museum

   Bergens Sjøfartsmuseum

   This traditional maritime museum is in the middle of the campus of the University of Bergen. Exhibitions of maritime history, shipping history, the Vikings, naval warfare, maritime archeology, and more.

   Daily 11:00-15:00, closed on holidays, Christmas eve, new year's eve and the 17th of May·kr 30; children and students free

4. See

   Bergen Museum – The Cultural History Collections

   Kulturhistorisk museum

   Bergen Museum is a part of the University of Bergen, and is in the heart of campus. It is divided in two collections, the Cultural History Collections and the Natural History Collections, located in two buildings. The Cultural History Collections include archeology, anthropology and art- and culture studies sections. Among other things, the museum has a large collection of Norwegian folk art and national costumes. It is notable for its unique exhibition of Norwegian medieval church art, including painted altarpieces, crucifixes and portals from demolished stave churches, all in wood.

   Tue–Fri 10:00–15:00, Sat Sun 11:00-16:00; 1 Jun–31 Aug: Tue–Fri 10:00–16:00, Sat Sun 11:00-16:00·Kr. 40; senior citizens: kr. 20, children under 16, students and University of Bergen staff: free. Ticket is also valid at the Natural History Collections

5. See

   Bergen Museum – The Natural History Collections

   Naturhistorisk museum

   The Natural History Collections include botany, geology and zoology. The zoology exhibitions is preserved more or less as they were when they were put up almost a hundred years ago. Enormous whale skeletons suspended from the ceiling in the exhibition halls are visible through the windows from the outside. The geology exhibition is modern and varied and contains samples from most parts of the world, in addition to a nice local collection. Around the museum is a garden which is at its finest in spring and summer. There is also a green house where you can enjoy tropical plants.

   Closed for renovation·Kr. 150. Senior citizens: kr. 110, children under 16, students: free. Ticket is also valid at the Cultural History Collections. Access to the garden and the green house is free of charge

6. See

   Bergenhus fortress

   Bergenhus

   Once the seat of the king, Bergenhus fortress is one of the oldest and best preserved forts of Norway. The oldest surviving buildings are from the mid 13'th century, but the area was a royal residence from the late 11'th century. The fortress is situated close to the international ferry terminal. The royal hall, Håkonshallen, (Håkon's Hall), named for King Håkon Håkonsson, was built some time between 1247 and 1261. It is used today for royal galas, as a banqueting hall for the city council, and other public events. The roof is reconstructed after a blast during World War II. The nearby Rosenkrantz tower has the same appearance as it had in the 16th century. The oldest part of the tower dates back to the 1270s, a few decades after Håkonshallen. It was expanded in the 1560s by the governor, Erik Rosenkrantz, to its present shape. The rest of the medieval buildings in the fortress have been replaced or demolished over the centuries, with some ruins still visible. Among these is the medieval cathedral, the Church of Christ, which was used for coronation and as a royal burial site in the 13th century. A memorial marks the site of the high altar. Guided tours of the royal hall and the tower start every hour between 10:00 and 16:00 every day from 15 May to 31 Aug in the royal hall. From 1 Sept to 14 May tours are only available between noon and 15:00 on Sundays. Entrance fee is kr. 170 for adults, 20 for students and free for children under 16. A small cafeteria with coffee, tea and basic snacks is open from June to August. The fortress grounds serve as a city park; you can hang out here and eat that fish you just bought at the nearby fish market - or just enjoy the sunshine and the view. The park is popular among locals and tourists, but usually not crowded. It is normally not a problem to find a good spot for your picnic or a round of Frisbee. There is a very good view of the bay. The use of open fire, including barbecues, and the drinking of alcoholic beverages are forb

   Open now · closes 11 pm·free

7. See

   Bryggens Museum

   After the fire in 1955, when a lot of Bryggen burnt down, remains of the first settlement on Bryggen were discovered. The museum is built over these up to 900-year-old wooden building foundations, giving a unique insight in Bergen's architectural history. It contains the world's largest collection of medieval runic inscriptions, mostly inscribed on wooden items, but only a small number of these are on display. It also hosts themed exhibitions. If you are not a student, and would like to also visit the Hanseatic museum, it is cheaper to buy a ticket for the guided tour (and skip it if you want).

   1 Sept-14 May: Mon-Fri 11:00-15:00, Sat 12:00-15:00, Sun 12:00-16:00; 15 May-31 Aug: daily 10:00-16:00·adults kr. 170, students kr. 85, children (under 17) free, guided tour (includes ticket to Hanseatic Museum) kr. 120

8. See

   Damsgård Hovedgård

   Damsgård Manor

   This 18th-century manor is the most splendid of the many country retreats built by Bergen's aristocracy in the past centuries. The roccoco main building is surrounded by several beautiful gardens.

   kr 50; students: kr 25, children: free

9. See

   Gamle Bergen

   Old Bergen

   A reconstructed town with about 50 wooden houses from the 18th, 19th and early 20th centuries. It is a beautiful place to stroll on a sunny day. The more cultural traveller will enjoy a guided tour of the area and the houses.

   kr 50; students: kr 30, pensioners: kr 30, children: free

10. See

    Gamlehaugen

    The villa at Gamlehaugen, built to resemble a castle, was the home of Christian Michelsen, former prime minister who helped free Norway from Swedish rule through the peaceful dissolution of the union in 1905. Nowadays, the villa is the royal family's residence in Bergen. There is a large and very popular park around the villa. Bathing possibilities.

    Villa open for guided tours only. Guided tours Tue-Sun at 12:00, 13:00 and 14:00 in Jun-Aug. Tour at 12:00 will be given in English if necessary, other tours will be given in Norwegian only·Tour tickets kr. 50; children kr. 25. Access to the park is free for all

11. See

    Nordnes panorama

    Lovely place on the highest point of Nordnes peninsula, towards the aquarium.

12. See

    Nygårdsparken

    This is a very nicely landscaped park laid out in the late 1800s in English style. The park is a popular picnic place for families, and in the summer there's always several groups of students and young people having barbeques. You are very welcome to step on the grass and it's a nice place to play frisbee, kubb or croquet. If you want to save a few kroner on food and drink stop by a local grocery store to pick up some ingredients to a picnic, bring along a blanket and a few beers and spend a cheap and relaxing afternoon in this park. It's highly unlikely that the police will bother you for drinking in public in this park as long as you behave. It's also one of the places where it's rather easy to get in contact with the locals. There's no public toilet here, but pop over the road to Vilvite and use their facilities for free. The upper part of the park is now rejuvenated, with a nice play area for children, occasional outdoor exhibitions and – some weekends – a café with restroom in the new Pavillion.

    Always open·Free

13. See

    Siljustøl Museum

    The home of the composer Harald Sæverud, famous for late romantic and neo-classicist works now houses a museum with occasional concerts. The somewhat mystic park around the house is open for the public.

    Museum open 24 Jun-23 Sep: Sun 12:00-16:00·Museum admittance: Kr. 50; students: kr. 20, children: free

14. See

    St. Jørgen's Hospital

    The Leprosy Museum

    St. Jørgens Hospital is one of very few preserved leprosy hospitals from the 18th century in Northern Europe. The large wooden building in Kalfarveien 31 (Pleiestiftelsen for spedalske) was the largest institution caring for the many leprosy patients in Bergen. This was where Armauer Hansen discovered the bacteria that causes leprosy in 1873. Hansen's discovery was a major breakthrough in medicine as he proved that a chronic illness was contagious rather than hereditary. The Leprosy archive was a complete record of all patients and is assumed to be the first patient archive in the world. The Leprosy archive is inscribed on UNESCO list of Memory of the World. The Leprosy Museum tells the story about the disease and its history in Norway, in addition to showing life at the hospital. A visit to the museum is a unique but disturbing experience. The complex in Kong Oscars gate 59 also includes a wooden church.

    21 May–2 Sep: Daily 11:00-15:00·Kr 40; children kr 20

15. See

    The Norwegian Knitting Industry Museum

    Norsk Trikotasjemuseum

    Located in the buildings that used to house the first fully mechanized knitwear factory in Norway. The machinery is still in working condition and is used. Guided tour, exhibitions and film.

    Tue-Sun 11:00-16:00 (June 1 - August 31); Tue-Fri 11:00-15:00 and Sun 12:00-16:00 (September 1 - May 31)·students: kr. 25, children: free

16. See

    The West Norway Museum of Decorative Art

    Permanenten

    A museum of design and decorative art. Norway's largest collection of Chinese art.

    Tue-Sun 12:00-16:00; 15 May–14 Sep: daily 11:00-17:00·Kr 60; students and seniors kr 40, children under 16 free

17. See

    Troldhaugen

    Edvard Grieg's villa

    This is the house of the famous composer Edvard Grieg, who wrote the Peer Gynt suite and the Piano Concerto in A Minor and is Norway's national composer. His country house (just outside the town centre of Bergen) has been preserved in the state it was in when he died in 1907. You can also see his grave; he was buried on his own estate. There is a museum devoted to Grieg and his work, and a concert hall with daily concerts from 1 May - 11 Oct.

    May-Sep: daily 09:00-18:00; Oct-Dec: daily 10:00-16:00; 23 Dec-1 Jan: closed; 2 Jan-Apr: Daily 10:00-16:00·Kr. 130, students: kr. 65, children under 18: free

18. See

    Vilvite

    Bergen Science Centre

    Sponsored by the state and the city in addition to some of the largest industrial companies in Norway, this all new science centre features interactive exhibitions of science, technology and mathematics. It targets children and young people with the intention to inspire them to learn more about science, but is popular also among the adults. It has special exhibitions about the weather, the ocean and energy, with altogether 75 different interactive machines and experiments.

    Tue-Fri 09:00-16:00, Sat Sun 11:00-18:00·Kr. 120; children (3-15 years): kr. 80, families (2 adults and 2 children): kr. 330 (kr. 65 per extra child), students (high school and above): kr. 80

19. Do Not mapped

    Constitution Day

    On 17 May, every business in town, except restaurants downtown, is closed as the citizens dress up in their finest clothes and celebrate all day long. You will be stunned by the number of people in the streets – one can hardly move around – and by the beautiful national costumes every second person you meet will wear. This is the day people will look oddly on you if you wear anything less than a suit or dress. At 07:00, there is a twenty-one-gun salute from Skansen, half way up Mount Fløyen, as the morning parade starts from Dreggen. At 10:30, the main parade starts at Torgalmenningen, goes around town and ends up at Festplassen. The parade is formed by children and organizations such as sports teams, and only a very few military troops, unlike in many other countries. The level of patriotism can perhaps be a bit overwhelming for foreigners, but try to say gratulerer med dagen (literally "congratulations on the day") to anyone you meet, and you will probably get the same in response, even if you're not Norwegian at all.

20. Buy Not mapped

    Ruben's skattkammer

    Unique, fun and stimulating toys for kids and adults.

Listings from the Wikivoyage guide to Bergen (CC BY-SA 4.0).