Billet d'entrée au musée Kon-Tiki

I went as I read the book as a child and of course it was a daring expedition. Sweet little place, I do not think I would have gone without the Oslo Pass. My criticism is that the museum takes a completely non critical approach to the notion of the ‘great white male explorer’. I was shocked to see many stone carvings from burial caves that Thor had proudly appropriated! It is time to update this place in the light of current understanding of culture and colonialism

Having visited Fram and the Maritime museum I was a little frustrated that I had not left myself sufficient time to explore this museum. (they are all next to each other). Kon Tiki contains a great deal to see, including the original balsa wood raft used on the exploration. It is amazing learning just how brave Thor Heyerdahl was and the faith he had in the raft even staying afloat. Reading that he could not even swim just exemplified the courage and enthusiasm involved in these explorations.

We visited this museum plus The Fram and the Maritime Museum on our recent trip to Oslo. All three were well displayed, had Norwegian and English wall descriptions, and had clear routes through to facilitate your visit and understanding of the topic. So glad we spent the day on the Bygby Peninsula!

I originally visited this museum in 2018 and I really enjoyed it. The first part explained the reason for the expedition and the charisma of those involved. Sadly this visit was a disappointment. The museum was halfway through being changed. To my mind, it was better before. The layout is now awkward with bits of information jutting into where visitors are walking. One section is accessible over a glass panel on the floor. I didn’t enjoy walking over it (and I witnessed many others not enjoying it either). When you gain access to this section it baffles me what is to be learned. The layout (again) in this small section is not through very well (it is certainly not accessible in a wheelchair). There is supposed to be an audio guide so perhaps that will help with the information, but it was not available/offered to us. There are speakers on the wall (quite high up - not easy for children or those in wheelchairs). In order to hear what is coming out of the speaker, you have to push your ear to it, which then means your body is blocking the written information for other visitors. You are then lead into a dark area (I felt claustrophobic). This area is all about the sharks and other sealife that the crew of kontiki saw. This area is probably aimed at children. Only after leaving this area did I find any information on why they set off. This was my friend’s first visit and I will let her write her own review. For me, it’s badly laid out and visitors should definitely be informed of the reason for the expedition at the very beginning.

Very interesting museum in Oslo. Superb staging of important voyages.

There was alot of renovation going on during our visit, so I was glad that we had free admission from the Oslo Pass otherwise I would have felt let down, as they don't tell you this before you enter. Exhibits were missing and alterations being made so not that good of a visit, maybe when it's completed it will look good. This is an interesting museum with lots of information but hopefully work is completed soon.

I remember studying this expedition at school. This was a great reminder. I did this tour in conjunction with the Fram museum. Enjoyed the timeline of the various expeditions.

Great museum. Replica of Ra II on display and lots of interesting artifacts, stories and photographs about the Kon-Tiki. Takes about one hour to go through the two floors of the museum.

The best of all the museums that we went to. Informative with a good variety of media. It's a bit different to the others. Really enjoyed it

When I was a kid, I was blown away by a documentary I saw on the telly and watched with my dad one weekend. It was the Oscar winning one produced to cover Thor Heyerdahl's 1947 voyage across the Pacific ocean on a balsa wood raft named Kon-Tiki. Its something that stuck with me, especially when I found out he'd done similar again on a reed based boat named 'Ra' and tried to sail the Atlantic. Suffice to say, as an unsuitable mode of transport enthusiast, he's my kind of madman. So naturally, in Oslo for an actual social visit rather than work, this place was high on my list to see. So, after doing the Fram museum next door, I flashed the old Olso-pass and wandered in, to be immediately greeted with what I was here to see. No messing about, no teasing. There she was. Kon-Tiki. I don't mind admitting I spent a good spell here, just looking and taking in this mad old craft. They sailed over the Pacific in THAT! Amazingly, despite how busy the Fram was, the Kon-Tiki just wasn't! Maybe all those coach parties were on fixed tours? Who cares, I had the old girl practically to myself for ages. It was wonderful to be just able to sit there with my thoughts and take it in, I felt like I was 7 again. The rest of the museum covers the Kon-Tiki voyage as well as the 'Ra' one in 1969/70 (the 'Ra II' is next door in another hall, 'Ra' failed and broke up at sea) and a load of Theyerdahl's other ethnographicalarcheology trips to the likes of Easter Island. This winds down into a basement level and takes you under Kon-Tiki itself as if you are beneath the waves. I know Heyerdahl's theories behind a lot of his work is controversial and I don't subscribe to any of that. For me however, it was worth the trip alone just to see that mad old raft that some Norwegian nutter floated across the Pacific on that I'd first encountered on tv as a child. I'd recommend a visit purely just to see the two rafts and as it's included in the Oslo-pass, worth sticking your head in for a look especially if you're here for the Fram. the vikingship museum (when it's back open!) or the Folk museum.