From its imposing perch overlooking Oslo’s harbor, the Akershus Fortress has long been an icon of Norwegian strength. Built in the 1290s AD by King Haakon V to protect the city, the hilltop medieval castle (which was renovated to a Renaissance-style in the 17^th century) successfully withstood every siege, and was only held by foreign forces during the Nazi occupation of 1940-45. Now primarily used for state events, the fortress is open to visitors and includes the Norwegian Armed Forces Museum and the Norwegian Resistance Museum, which details the impact the resistance played in defeating the Nazis in World War II. One of several castles in Norway to inspire Frozen’s Arendelle, the fortress is surrounded by green spaces and parks and is fun for families to explore. Those interested in an after-hours visit can contact the Indagare Bookings Team to arrange a ghost tour.

The Renzo Piano–designed Astrup Fearnley Museum, funded by the Thomas Fearnley, Heddy and Nils Astrup Foundation (which is backed by one of Norway’s most prestigious shipping families), put Oslo on the map with contemporary art lovers when it moved to its new home in Tjuvholmen in 2012. Constructed to look like a sail, the striking, modern building occupies a waterfront space at the tip of Tjuvholmen with spectacular views of the Oslofjord and city, and is home to such monumental works as Jeff Koons’s Michael Jackson and Bubbles (which it purchased in 2002 for $5.1 million). Separated by a canal, the museum’s two buildings house a temporary exhibit (featured artists have included Alex Israel and Andy Warhol) and pieces from the museum’s private collection, which is one of the most extensive in Norway. Historically, the collection has focused on American contemporary art, but is expanding to highlight international works by Brazilian, Chinese and Indian artists. Designed to push the boundaries of art and how the viewer perceives it, the museum focuses on individual works and artists instead of movements, resulting in jarring, innovative displays that provoke original thought. Indagare Note: Guests of the Thief Hotel get free entry. Closed Monday.

Located an hour-a-half away from Oslo by car, Hadeland Glassverk was founded in 1762 as a glassblowing factory and is one of the oldest companies in Norway. Now a destination focused on cultural and handicraft traditions, the Glassverk boasts several shops and workshops, as well as a glass museum with pieces create over the past 250 years. Visitors can watch glass-blowing demonstrations and enjoy the public parks, including two playgrounds, a petting zoo and a horseback riding facility (open in the summer months).

Oslo’s unique location at the innermost point of the Oslofjord allows visitors to easily get out on the water and explore the stunning wilderness that surrounds the city center. Oslo’s maze of over 40 islands, some of which are uninhabited and others that boast charming fishing villages or elaborate summer homes, can be explored on a private charter or a communal boat (complete with a prawn buffet and cocktails). Indagare members can contact the Bookings Team to arrange.

Located a short drive from the city center in the Ekeberg neighborhood, the Ekebergparken Sculpture Park opened in 2013 and boasts stunning hilltop views overlooking the city. The 25-acre park features sculptures from artists like James Turrell, Salvador Dalí and Auguste Rodin strewn across its grounds, as well as a small museum and many scenic lookout points.

Dedicated to Norwegian exploration of the polar regions, the Fram Museum was established in 1936 and houses two enormous ships, the Fram and Gjøa. Giving a broad history of arctic exploration, the museum also focuses more closely on the accomplishments of three Norwegians—Fridtjof Nansen, Otto Sverdrup and Roald Amundsen—who played significant roles in the expeditions aboard the Fram and Gjøa, the latter of which was the first ship to traverse the Northwest Passage.

The Fram, which means ‘straight forward,’ has sailed the farthest north and south of any ship in the world, and despite knowing of the destructive nature of Arctic ice, was constructed of wood (the logic: if it worked for the Vikings, it could work again). In its three-year-long first expedition to the North Pole, the Fram became stuck in ice and was unable to complete the voyage, but in typical Norwegian fashion, Nansen and a member of his crew disembarked and continued by skis (unfortunately, they were forced to turn back and did not reach the pole). The ship was later used in another journey to the southern polar region and was the first to ever successfully reach the South Pole.

Oslo’s waterfront Aker Brygge neighborhood is teeming with art galleries, but the most revered is Galleri Fineart. The 21,000-square-foot space is home to over 11,000 works (all for sale), making it the largest gallery in Norway. Indagare can arrange a tour of Galleri Fineart or one of several of Oslo’s independent art galleries; contact the Bookings Team for details.

A neighborhood located 20-minutes outside Oslo by car or train, Holmenkollen is home to one of Olso’s iconic attractions, the Holmenkollbakken ski jump. The gleaming, silver structure, interrupting the bucolic forested mountainside, can be seen from the city center, and when viewed up close, is just as striking. The snake-like attraction opened in 1892, and has been rebuilt several times, including a complete overhaul for the 2011 Ski Jumping World Cup. Previously, the Holmenkollbakken complex served as a military installation during World War II, and was host to the 1952 Olympics. Nowadays, the hill boasts the world’s oldest ski museum, a ski jump simulator (which also simulates a downhill Olympic race), a zip line covering the typical trajectory of a ski jumper’s flight and 360-degree views of the countryside and city. Indagare Tip: While the train is an easy way to reach the hill, visitors must then walk for roughly ten minutes up a very steep, winding road. The easiest and best option for anyone with mobility issues is to book a car transfer from the city.

Dedicated to the four major sea voyages of Norwegian Thor Heyerdahl, this museum captures the adventurous spirit of the Scandinavian people. In 1947, Heyerdahl daringly crossed the Pacific Ocean from Lima to Tahiti on a prehistoric ship (more akin to a raft) built entirely from balsa wood. A zoologist turned explorer, Heyerdahl did not know how to swim when he embarked on his journey, during which he spent 101 days on the open sea and visited Easter Island en route. After his 1947 expedition, Heyerdahl continued exploring and completed several additional voyages on original reed boats.

Norway is one of the world’s leading maritime nations, and this museum, situated on the Bygdøy Peninsula, is dedicated to its naval and marine history. Visitors begin their visit with a short film, and then move on to exhibits that detail shipbuilding through the centuries, fishing and marine archeology and the lives and culture of the Vikings.

While the National Gallery is more convenient for those wishing to only see The Scream, devoted Munch fans can see two versions of the aforementioned artwork as well as the largest collection of his pieces at this museum slightly outside of central Oslo. A pioneer of the expressionist movement, Munch is one of Norway’s beloved citizens and upon his death in 1944, his works were bequeathed to the city. The Munch Museum subsequently opened in 1963. Home to over half of the artist’s life’s work, the museum also boasts copies of every piece he ever completed. A new museum next to the Opera House in the up-and-coming Bjørvika area is on track to open in 2018.

For some of the city's best shopping and vintage curios, head to Grünerløkka neighborhood, which feels a bit like Brooklyn in Norway. The main street, Markveien, is lined with one-off boutiques and coffee shops that are fun to explore before visiting the Mathallen food hall, located just across the Akerselva River. (There are several pedestrian bridges for crossing). There are lots of stores to discover, but some favorites include:

• Dapper: Menswear concept store
• Ensemble: Fashion-forward womenswear
• Fransk Bazar: Antique French curios
• Kollekted By: Beautiful home accessories and furnishings
• Skaperverket Arkitekter: Fun accessories and knick-knacks
• Mitt Lille Hjem: Charming selection of home décor, fashion and accessories

The only Nobel Prize to be awarded outside of Sweden, the Peace Prize has been presented in Norway since 1901. Alfred Nobel, himself a Swede, stipulated that the prize must be awarded there. The reason for this requirement is not known, but some theories suggest it was because Norway was, at that time, a less militarized nation than Sweden. The Nobel Peace Center, located nearby Oslo’s waterfront promenade, honors the work of Nobel and the Peace Prize laureates (it also highlights recipients of the other Nobel prizes). Open since 2005, the center also presents current issues relating to war and peace.

Dedicated to Norwegian culture and history, this sprawling museum provides visitors with a glimpse of daily Norwegian life over the centuries. Established in 1894, the Norwegian Museum of Cultural History includes more than 150 historic buildings taken from all over the country as well as five medieval structures, including the spectacularly preserved, 13th-century Gol Stave Church, which is still used today for marriage ceremonies. With exhibits spanning centuries and all classes of society, the comprehensive museum also boasts a number of open-air museums and theaters, and can be toured with a guide in full traditional costume. Indagare Tip: Contact the Bookings Team to arrange a tour complete with a packed lunch; the museum grounds are beautiful and perfect for a picnic.

Few people know to go inside, but Oslo's City Hall is one of the most beautiful buildings in Europe. The Nobel Peace Prize is awarded here (the only Nobel prize awarded outside of Sweden) and the interior walls are completely covered in vibrant murals detailing Norwegian daily life and significant moments in history, including the fire in 1624 that destroyed much of Oslo and the Nazi occupation during World War II. Opened in 1950, the building has a somewhat drab, imposing exterior, but the inside, which was painted by 20 artisans, is a work of art, with even the ceilings decorated in an ornate fashion (also a nod to Norway’s wealth – historically the most overlooked part of the building is still lavishly designed).

Rising elegantly from its perch at the water’s edge at the head of the Oslofjord, the Snøhetta-designed Oslo Opera House mimics the subtle, powerful shape of a glacier. The stark white, slanted exterior is covered in Italian marble and granite, and is mirrored by She Lies, a permanent art installation that floats in the fjord and resembles an iceberg. The piece, constructed out of steel and glass panels, is moored to the harbor floor and moves with the tides and wind. The arts complex, which is home to The Norwegian National Opera and Ballet and national opera, is the largest music and performing arts institute in Norway and a gathering place for visitors and locals alike, who lounge on the outdoor terrace and small grassy lawn.

The National Museum complex is spread among several buildings throughout Oslo, including the National Gallery, Museum of Contemporary Art and the Museum of Decorative Arts and Design. (A new center to unite the three under one roof is on track to be completed in 2020, but until then, all the galleries must be visited separately). The National Gallery, which is home to Edvard Munch’s Madonna and The Scream paintings (the later of which was notoriously stolen in 1994 but returned months later), boasts a collection primarily comprised of Norwegian art from the 19th and 20th centuries. There are, however, also works that date back over 2,000 years, so visitors will see everything from ancient Greek sculptures to Impressionist pieces from Cézanne and Monet.

Akin to New York City’s Central Park, the immaculate Vigeland Sculpture Park is part recreational space and part open-air museum. The life’s work of Gustav Vigeland, the nearly 12-acre park represents the different stages of human life (birth, childhood, adulthood, death) with more than 200 sculptures in bronze, granite and iron. The Norwegian sculptor, who paradoxically had children of his own but no relationship with them, passed away in 1943 when the park was only 90% completed. His apprentices were able to complete the last statues with models he had created, and put the finishing touches on the park’s pièce de résistance: a monolith with 121 figures that was made from a single block of granite and weighed 240 tons before it was carved. Now, the park receives over 1 million visitors a year, some of whom are medical students, who come to study the human form that is so perfectly replicated in Vigeland’s sculptures.

With a similar philosophy as the ancient Egyptians, who buried their elite in elaborate tombs, the Vikings created burial chambers out of entire Viking ships, which were richly adorned and filled with food, drink and artifacts for use in the afterlife. Located on the Bygdøy Peninsula, this churchlike museum is a testament to the importance of the Viking Age and home to archeological finds and ships from the 9th and 10th centuries AD that were found in boat graves near the Oslofjord. When discovered in the late 19th century and early 20th century, the wooden ships were so fragile that it took 13 years to develop a preservation method that would allow them to be excavated without disintegrating; now on display at the Viking Ship Museum, the ships are comprised of nearly 90% original wood. The most famous ship is the one excavated from Oseberg, in southern Norway, which is the largest known ship burial in the world.