EN
Home / Blog / Bygdøy museums by boat 2026

The Bygdøy museums by boat

The Bygdøy museum ferry ended its 2026 season on 4 October. Here is how the boat works when it runs, which cruises still drop you at the museums, how to get there in winter, and which museums are worth the trip while the Viking ships stay closed.

Small ferry approaching a green peninsula with museum buildings by the water
The museum ferry crosses from City Hall to Bygdøy in about ten minutes in season.

Booking choice: The electric cruise with a Bygdøy stop. Check dates Tour details

Bygdøy is the green peninsula west of the city centre where Oslo keeps its polar ships, rafts and old farmhouses. Arriving by water is the classic way in, and in season it takes about ten minutes from City Hall.

The catch is that the museum ferry is private, seasonal and not part of Ruter's network. Below is what we found on 20 October 2026, with the 2026 dates and the winter alternatives.

The quick answer

The Bygdøy ferry runs from City Hall Pier 3 to Dronningen and Bygdøynes every 20 minutes in season; in 2026 that was 14 March to 4 October. The Oslo Pass covers it and Ruter tickets do not, and Båtservice's sailing ship ticket includes it on the same day. Trollcruise's electric cruise has an optional Bygdøy stop. Out of season, bus 30 runs all year. The Viking Ship Museum is closed until its planned reopening as the Museum of the Viking Age in 2027.

How do you get to Bygdøy by boat?

On the Bygdøy ferry from City Hall Pier 3, platform F. It stops at Dronningen for the Folk Museum, then Bygdøynes for Fram, Kon-Tiki and the Maritime Museum.

The operator, Båtservice runs the ferry every 20 minutes in season. The crossing to the first stop takes about 10 minutes, and the full loop about 30. The 2026 season ran from 14 March to 4 October. From June to August the first boat left City Hall at 09:10 and the last at 17:50; in the rest of the season, 09:50 and 16:50.

Pick your stop by museum. Dronningen is the walk-up to the Norwegian Folk Museum and the royal summer palace Oscarshall. Bygdøynes puts you at the door of the Fram, Kon-Tiki and Maritime museums, which stand side by side. Walking between the two stops takes a while, so plan the order.

StopMuseums nearbyFerry from City Hall
DronningenNorwegian Folk Museum, OscarshallAbout 10 minutes
BygdøynesFram Museum, Kon-Tiki Museum, Norwegian Maritime MuseumSecond stop on the loop
ReturnBack to City Hall Pier 3About 30 minutes for the full loop
The Aker Brygge and Tjuvholmen waterfront seen from the harbour
The ferries leave from the City Hall piers, next to the Aker Brygge waterfront.

Which tickets work on the Bygdøy ferry?

The Oslo Pass and a Båtservice sailing ship ticket for the same day. Ordinary Ruter tickets are not valid.

This is the trap. The island boats from Pier 4 run on Ruter tickets, so many visitors assume the Bygdøy boat from Pier 3 does too. It does not: the ferry page says plainly that Ruter tickets are not valid, while the Oslo Pass is.

The neat combination is the two-hour sailing ship cruise. Its ticket is also valid on the Bygdøy ferry on the same day, which turns a morning on the fjord into an afternoon at the museums. Without either, buy a ferry ticket with Vipps or at the kiosk before boarding.

Want the cruise and the museum ferry on one ticket? The sailing ship includes the Bygdøy boat the same day, in the ferry season.

Check dates for the wooden sailing ship

Can a fjord cruise drop you at Bygdøy?

Yes, on some boats. Trollcruise's electric cruise has an optional Bygdøy stop, Brim Explorer drops guests on request, and Båtservice's winter sailings have called at Bygdøynes.

The electric cruise from Pier 4 is the obvious pick. Visit Oslo describes one stop at Bygdøy, but adds that it is optional, may not always be available, and should be confirmed with the crew in advance. The return is not included: take the next boat back or the public bus.

Brim Explorer says guests can ask to be dropped at Bygdøy. On Båtservice's sailing ship, the 2025-26 winter season stopped at Bygdøynes in the early afternoon, with bus 30 suggested for the way back from the later stop. The 2026-27 winter times are not published yet, so check before you count on it.

Electric Fjord Cruise with a Bygdøy Stop

Two hours on an electric boat from City Hall, with the option to step off at the Bygdøy museums.

★ 4.4 · 2 hours

Explore the electric cruise with a Bygdøy stop Tour details

How do you get to Bygdøy when the ferry is not running?

Bus 30 from the city centre, all year. The Kon-Tiki Museum points visitors to it and to the ferry in summer.

From October to March the boat is off, but the museums on Bygdøynes and Dronningen stay open. The Kon-Tiki Museum says it can be reached by bus 30 all year and by the ferry in the summer season. Bus 30 is part of Ruter's network, so an ordinary Ruter ticket or the Oslo Pass covers it.

Bus 30 also runs to Huk, the sandy beach at the southern tip of Bygdøy with a separate naturist section. In winter it is a walk, not a swim. Our island ferry guide explains which boats and tickets work for the islands themselves.

Is the Viking Ship Museum open in 2026?

No. It closed in 2021 for rebuilding and is planned to reopen as the Museum of the Viking Age in 2027.

According to Store norske leksikon, the building has been closed since 2021 for reconstruction, and the new Museum of the Viking Age is planned to open in 2027. It belongs to the Museum of Cultural History at the University of Oslo and will again hold the Oseberg, Gokstad and Tune ships.

Older guides and some tour pages still list it. Do not plan a Bygdøy day around the Viking ships until the reopening date is confirmed. The other four museums make a full day on their own.

Prefer someone else to sort the museums? The city tour visits the Fram Museum plus the Folk Museum or Kon-Tiki, then ends with a fjord cruise.

Check dates for the city tour with a fjord cruise

Which Bygdøy museums are open, and which are worth the trip?

Fram and Kon-Tiki open daily; the Folk Museum and Maritime Museum close on Mondays. Fram is the one we would not skip.

The Fram Museum opened in 1936 around the polar ship Fram, which you can walk aboard, and also holds Amundsen's Gjøa. Its site lists 10:00 to 17:00 every day. Next door, the Kon-Tiki Museum shows Thor Heyerdahl's 1947 raft and the reed boat Ra II; from September to April it opens 10:00 to 17:00, closing at 15:00 on Christmas Eve and New Year's Eve.

The Norwegian Folk Museum is an open-air museum with over 150 buildings and a stave church from around 1200. It currently lists Tuesday to Sunday, 11:00 to 16:00, and holds its Christmas fair on 5 and 6 and on 12 and 13 December. The Norwegian Maritime Museum keeps the same days and hours.

Watch Mondays: two of the four are shut. On a Monday, go to Bygdøynes for Fram and Kon-Tiki and leave the farmhouses for another day.

MuseumStopHours listed nowClosed
Fram MuseumBygdøynes10:00 to 17:00 dailyNo closing day listed
Kon-Tiki MuseumBygdøynes10:00 to 17:00 (September to April)Early close 24 and 31 December
Norwegian Maritime MuseumBygdøynes11:00 to 16:00Mondays
Norwegian Folk MuseumDronningen11:00 to 16:00Mondays
Viking Ship MuseumNot applicableClosed for rebuildingPlanned reopening 2027

Frequently asked questions

Can you get to Bygdøy by boat?

Yes, in season. The Bygdøy ferry leaves City Hall Pier 3 every 20 minutes; in 2026 it ran from 14 March to 4 October. Some fjord cruises also stop at Bygdøy, and bus 30 runs all year.

Is the Bygdøy ferry included in the Oslo Pass?

Yes. The Oslo Pass covers the Bygdøy ferry. Ordinary Ruter tickets are not valid on it, and a Båtservice sailing ship ticket covers it on the same day.

Is the Viking Ship Museum open?

No. It closed in 2021 and is planned to reopen as the Museum of the Viking Age in 2027. The Fram, Kon-Tiki, Maritime and Folk museums on Bygdøy are open.

How do you get to Bygdøy in winter?

Take bus 30 from the city centre, which runs all year. The museum ferry is seasonal, and the electric cruise from Pier 4 has an optional Bygdøy stop that you should confirm with the crew.

Ready to book

Choose your cruise

Free cancellation up to 24 hours before on every option, and live availability for your date on the booking page.

Electric Fjord Cruise with a Bygdøy Stop

Electric Fjord Cruise with a Bygdøy Stop

★ 4.4 · 2 hours

Two hours on an electric boat, with the option to step off at the museum peninsula

Trip length2 hoursCheck dates
Two Hours on a Wooden Sailing Ship

Two Hours on a Wooden Sailing Ship

★ 4.5 · 2 hours

  • Two-hour round trip from City Hall Pier 3
  • English commentary plus an app in 13 languages
  • Heated main deck, blankets, toilet and bar
Trip length2 hoursCheck dates
Grand City Tour by Bus with a Fjord Cruise

Grand City Tour by Bus with a Fjord Cruise

★ 4.7 · 7.5 hours

Holmenkollen, Vigeland and two museums by coach, then the fjord by boat

Trip length7.5 hoursCheck dates

Plan your date before you go

Two hours on an electric boat from City Hall, with the option to step off at the Bygdøy museums.

Check dates for the electric cruise with a Bygdøy stop