HeritagePhoto Wikimedia CommonsThe Polar Museum
Norway
Explore the maritime history of Tromsø, and listen to stories about world-famous characters such as Roald Amundsen, as well as local heroes such as Wanny Woldstad and Henry Rudi.
Contents
10 sections · tap a section for its opening lines1Orientation
Welcome to Tromsø, a city of extraordinary beauty located right near the top of the north of Norway. As you stand here breathing in the crisp, salt-tinged air, look around at the landscape that surrounds you. …
Listen in the app2The Customs Office Building: Threshold to the North
We begin our journey by stepping into the former Customs office building, a structure that once served as the bureaucratic beating heart of Tromsø's maritime trade. Pause for a moment near the entrance and simply breathe in. …
Listen in the app3The Bronze Gaze: Karl G. Nilssen's Roald Amundsen Bust
As we transition deeper into the museum, we are brought face to face with the defining figure of Norwegian polar history. Before you stands a magnificent bronze bust of Roald Amundsen, a commanding piece of sculpture carved in…
Listen in the app4The Brygga: Sealing and Svalbard's Cultural History
We now step into the Brygga, the large, traditional warehouse structure that once belonged to the Customs Service. The atmosphere here changes immediately. …
Listen in the app5Evolution of Survival: The Arctic People
As we transition into the next gallery, the focus shifts from the industrial exploitation of the Arctic to the profound, deep-time history of human adaptation. This space is dedicated to the lifestyle and evolution of the Arctic…
Listen in the app6The Overwintering Exhibition: Surviving the Polar Night
We now step into one of the most psychologically intense areas of the museum: The Overwintering exhibition. To understand the gravity of this display, you must try to conceptualize the reality of the Arctic winter. …
Listen in the app7Claus Andersen's Trapper Hut: A 1910 Svalbard Sanctuary
Directly connected to the narrative of overwintering is one of the museum's most extraordinary physical artifacts: an authentic trapper's hut from Svalbard. Stepping up to the threshold of this tiny, weathered structure is a…
Listen in the app8The Roald Amundsen Permanent Exhibition: A Legacy of Firsts
We now enter the grand permanent exhibition dedicated to the legendary explorer, Roald Amundsen. Having seen his bronze visage earlier, we now immerse ourselves in the astonishing timeline of his achievements. …
Listen in the app9The Latham Final Journey: A Hero's Tragic End
Our final interior stop brings us to the most poignant and somber section of The Polar Museum: the focal point detailing Roald Amundsen's final journey. It is here that the narrative of unyielding triumph abruptly transitions…
Listen in the app10Closing
As we exit the heavy wooden doors of the former Customs building and step back out onto the Skansen quayside, take a deep breath of the freezing, invigorating Tromsø air. The transition from the dense, historical atmosphere of…
Listen in the app
What is The Polar Museum?
The Polar Museum is a place in Norway with 10 story sections on Tellby. You can read the opening of each section on this page; the sound plays in the app.
| Location | Norway |
|---|---|
| Type | Heritage |
| Story sections | 10 |
| Text language | English |
| Coordinates | 69.6522, 18.9633 |
| Last updated |
