About the Norwegian Architecture Museum
The Norwegian Architecture Museum (Norsk Arkitekturmuseum), officially a department of the National Museum (Nasjonalmuseet), occupies the beautiful former Bank of Norway building at Bankplassen in central Oslo. The building itself — a restrained neoclassical structure from the 1820s — is a fitting home for a museum dedicated to the built environment, and its elegant interiors provide a striking backdrop for architectural drawings, models, and photographs.
The museum's collection covers the full breadth of Norwegian architectural history, from medieval wooden stave churches (represented through drawings and models) through the neoclassical age of Christian IV's Oslo, the National Romantic movement of the late 19th century, the functionalism of the 1930s, the postwar reconstruction of bombed northern Norwegian cities, and right up to contemporary Norwegian architectural achievements — a field in which Norway has become internationally recognised.
The permanent collection of architectural drawings, models, photographs, and design documents is one of the most significant in Scandinavia. Changing temporary exhibitions tackle specific buildings, architects, and contemporary architectural questions with intelligence and ambition. For those with an interest in design, urban planning, or Norwegian cultural history, the Architecture Museum is a rewarding and undervisited gem within walking distance of many of Oslo's major attractions.
What to See: Highlights
- The historic Bank of Norway building itself (1820s)
- Norwegian architectural history from medieval to contemporary
- Architectural drawings, models and photographs
- Stave church documentation and models
- Changing temporary exhibitions on architecture and design
- Included with the National Museum ticket
Buy National Museum + Architecture Museum Tickets
Entry to the Norwegian Architecture Museum is included with your National Museum ticket. Book the National Museum in advance for guaranteed entry on your chosen date.
Prices may vary. We earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. DisclosureIncluded in the Oslo Pass
✓ The Architecture Museum is included with the Oslo Pass, which also covers the National Museum and dozens of other Oslo attractions plus all public transport.
🔑 Get the Oslo Pass — From 495 NOK/day Affiliate link. DisclosureGetting to the Norwegian Architecture Museum
The museum is at Bankplassen 3 in central Oslo, behind the old city hall (Christiania Torv area). It is easily reached on foot from Oslo S (10–15 minutes), from Aker Brygge (10 minutes), or from the National Museum (15 minutes walk). Tram 12 stops at Christiania Torv, a 5-minute walk from the museum.
Hotels Near Oslo City Centre
Stay within walking distance of the Architecture Museum, Akershus Fortress, and the Aker Brygge waterfront.
🏠 Find Hotels in Oslo City Centre →Norwegian Architecture Museum: FAQ
Yes — entry to the Norwegian Architecture Museum at Bankplassen is included with your National Museum ticket (200 NOK adults). The two museums are part of the same institution and a combined ticket covers both buildings.
Yes — as part of the National Museum, the Architecture Museum is covered by the Oslo Pass.
The museum covers Norwegian architectural history from the Middle Ages to the present, including stave churches, the neoclassical era, National Romanticism, modernism, and contemporary Norwegian architecture. The collection of drawings, models, and photographs is one of the most extensive in Scandinavia.
The museum is at Bankplassen 3 in central Oslo, behind the old Christiania Torv square, near Akershus Fortress. It is approximately 10–15 minutes walk from Oslo S (Central Station) and 10 minutes from Aker Brygge.
Very much so. The building is the former Bank of Norway, designed by Christian Heinrich Grosch and completed in the 1820s. It is one of Oslo's finest neoclassical buildings and an important landmark in Norwegian architectural history itself.
