Most people flock to Tromso to partake in once-in-a-lifetime activities. But, these Tromso museums are worth adding to your itinerary, too!
Below are some of the top tours, hotels, and more! Tromso sells out so fast so be sure to book ahead!
🇳🇴 Top activities and tours in Tromso:
- Best northern lights tour from Tromso (my favorite aurora tour in Tromso!)
- Reindeer camp + northern lights tour (best combo option; great for kids)
- Ethical whale watching tour with orcas and humpbacks (a Nov-Jan must!)
- Tromso Ice Domes (ice hotel visit – super popular and unique)
🛌 Top places to stay in Tromso:
- Clarion ‘The Edge’ (Tromso’s most beautiful hotel – on the sea!)
- Thon Hotel Tromso (I stayed here twice and recommend it!)
- Radisson Blu (many tours leave from here – by harbor)
✈️ Want to get from the airport to Tromso hassle-free? Find the best airport transfer option here!
You never know when you end up with a rainy day, a canceled tour (let’s hope not!), or a storm that makes you want to head indoors! The museums in town have your back!
This guide takes you through the best Tromso museums that are worth a visit when you’re in the city.
Did I miss your favorite? Let me know the best museums in Tromso in the comments. Thanks!
In this post...
Best Tromso Museums (+ Visitor Information)
1. Perspektivet (Perspectives Museum)
Address: Storgata 95
Website: https://www.perspektivet.no/en/
The Perspectives Museum (Perspektivet) is unique to the city and it was founded in 2004 at its current location.
The museum’s primary objective is to encourage humans to understand life connections and to create societies that appreciate and tolerate cultural diversity as well as embrace new perspectives.
It is part of Norway’s national museum network and is located in a building that dates back to 1838.
One of the cool things about the Tromso museum is that it runs project-based activities for the community and it displays photographs documenting each character in them and their stories, etc.
It truly is a one-of-a-kind museum and is one of my favorites to add to your Tromso itinerary!
There are a few parts of the museum that are in different places – one is the Straumen Gård located on Kvaløya (Straumsvegen 1874) and Folkeparken in Tromso (Kvaløyvegen 38).
The museum is open on Tuesday-Friday 10am-4pm and on weekends from 11am-5pm. It is closed on Mondays.
Adult ticket prices are 80 NOK, seniors are 50 NOK, and it is free for kids and students.
2. Polarmuseet (Polar Museum)
Address: Søndre Tollbodgate 11
Website: https://en.uit.no/tmu/polarmuseet/
The Polar Museum (Polarmuseet) is one of the most visited Tromso museums and it is one that I visit every time I am in Tromso (sometimes multiple times as I have an interest in Arctic exploration).
The museum is run by the University of Tromso as part of a network of a few museums on this list (MS Polstjerna and the Botanical Garden).
One reason this museum is worth visiting is that it is centrally located and easy to find! It is literally right on the harbor!
The Polar Museum has an insightful permanent exhibition that focuses on Svalbard in the 17th and 18th centuries.
You can learn about the early fur trappers and the well-known exhibition by Willem Barentsz in the late 1500s. It focuses a lot on the trade and hunting up there as well as the protection of species in the 20th century (until today).
It is truly an interesting museum where you’re guaranteed to learn a lot about the Arctic! The exhibition opened in 2015.
Polarmuseet is open daily from 11am-5pm. Times may vary with the season.
✨ PRO TIP: Tromso’s Polar Museum is one of the most crowded in the city – if there is a cruise ship in port, you can be sure that this place will be packed. Plan your trip around this!
Tickets are 110 NOK for adults, 60 NOK for senior citizens, and children under 18 are free.
3. Nordnorsk Kunstmuseum (Northern Norway Art Museum)
Address: Sjøgata 1
Website: https://www.nnkm.no/en/
If you’re an art enthusiast, another museum worth visiting in Tromso is the Nordnorsk Kunstmuseum, or the Northern Norway Art Museum.
There are exhibitions and events year-round and on Sundays, you will find guided tours. The tours are advertised on their website and this is where you’ll also find info about events, concerts, workshops, and more!
They also offer guided tours for free during the weekdays during their hours of operation (and they can be bespoke).
The museum’s mantra is that ‘art moves’ and they have been operating at its current location since 2001 (it had been in another location since 1985).
The museum is open daily from 10am-5pm except on Thursdays when the hours are extended until 8pm. Tickets are 80 NOK for adults, 50 NOK for seniors, and free for kids and students.
4. MS Polstjerna
Address: Hjalmar Johansens gate 10
Website: https://en.uit.no/tmu/polstjerna
Note: MS Polstjerna is only open for the summer season.
A popular Tromso museum is the MS Polstjerna, an educational center that details the famous ship of the same name that was built in Risør in the south and launched its first expedition in 1949.
This ship was a seal-hunting ship and it hunted for 33 seasons before ceasing operations in 1981. You can hear stories about the vessel and even tour it.
There are various exhibitions and you will have a chance to learn more about the Indigenous people of the Arctic, as well.
The stairs inside are steep and this is not a wheelchair-accessible museum. The museum is located right on the harbor by Polaria.
Please check the website before planning a trip to see if it is open for the season or not. It is never open when I am there during the winter, so I can not give additional details for visiting. One day!
5. Troll Museum
Address: Kaigata 3
Website: https://trollmuseum.no/
Norway and trolls go together like peanut butter and jelly and this museum is the first Troll Museum with Augmented Reality (who knew?!).
It is also Norway’s only troll museum and you can learn more about Norwegian fairy tales and legends while enjoying the interactive museum. It is the perfect thing to do with kids in Tromso!
Inside the place, you will find two halls – they are for the sea troll and the road of trolls.
There is a game room and library on-site too. Be sure to scoop up a souvenir before leaving!
Adult tickets are 180 NOK with reduced prices for kids, senior citizens, and students, as well as family pass bundles. The museum is open daily from 9am-7pm (open until 6pm in April, May, September, and October).
6. Tromso Museum (Arctic University Museum of Norway)
Address: Lars Thørings veg 10
Website: https://en.uit.no/tmu
So, the Arctic University Museum of Norway is an essential one to visit in the city (if you ask me). It is a wonderful place to learn about Sami culture and life in the north of Norway.
They have a rotation of temporary exhibits that pass through as well as permanent ones that stick around. There is a permanent Sami Culture exhibit at the museum where you can learn about the Indigenous people of the north.
The exhibit showcases their hunting community from around 200 AD and goes into reindeer herding and more. You will also have a chance to listen to their music (joik).
I would note that I am not sure who has put together these exhibits and I have not heard a Sami person comment on how they view it or perceive its accuracy and portrayal.
But, I think it is important to learn more about Sami life and culture when you’re visiting Tromso. This exhibit opened in 2014.
Another permanent exhibit focuses on Sapmi- Becoming a Nation – where it looks at Samis of the last 100 years.
It showcases how they were an ignored minority in Norway and how they have been striving to overcome the oppression by gaining representation in Parliament or opening up their own cultural institutions.
The museum is open Monday to Friday (10am to 4:30pm) and Saturday and Sunday (11am to 4pm). Adult ticket prices are 110 NOK and children under 18 are free. Senior ticket prices are 60 NOK.
7. Nordnorsk Vitensenter Tromso (Northern Norwegian Science Center)
Address: Hansine Hansensveg 17
Website: https://nordnorsk.vitensenter.no/
Another can’t-miss museum in Tromso is the Nordnorsk Vitensenter Tromso, or the Northern Norwegian Science Center.
The purpose of the center is that it is part of a larger network of science centers throughout Norway and Svalbard and it is there to make science fun but to be taken seriously.
This is one of the best museums in Tromso for kids and they offer a Nordic touch to what is taught and learned inside.
There are exhibitions as well as a planetarium and kids can learn more about the northern lights that visit Tromso throughout the winters!
The Northern Norwegian Science Center is open daily from 11am-4pm. There are extended hours during the summer and the center is closed on a few holidays during the year.
An adult ticket is 130 NOK, a Family ticket is 330 NOK, and kids are 70 NOK. If you’re a student, you also get a discount and your ticket is 90 NOK.
8. Tromso Arctic-Alpine Botanical Garden
Address: Stakkevollvegen 200
Website: https://en.uit.no/tmu/botanisk
Is it a museum? Well, no. Is it great to visit when the weather is crappy? No, again. But, I feel bad not listing this here as it is part of the UiT’s museums and I absolutely love this garden.
The Tromso Arctic-Alpine Botanical Garden is located a little bit outside of the town’s main drag and is fairly easy to reach by bus.
This is the world’s northernmost botanical garden and you can find an array of plants from all over the north (and south!) there!
It opened in 1994 and is actually open year round – although the plants may not be great to check out underneath the snow-covered ground much of the year.
It is free to visit and there are no fences or gates – you can just head there and stroll around at your leisure.
9. Tromso Kunstforening (Tromso Center for Contemporary Art)
Address: Mellomvegen 82
Website: https://www.tromsokunstforening.no/en
If you love art, you have to check out the Tromso Museum of Contemporary Art (Tromso Kunstforening) while you’re on your trip!
It is one of the best places to visit in Tromso in winter or in summer for those interested!
The museum has rotating exhibitions and is the oldest art institution in Northern Norway and has become the creative hub for such in the entire region.
They focus on a mix of artists that have various recognitions throughout the world – some famous, some not-so-famous (and they especially take pride in local artists and projects).
Check their website for upcoming exhibitions and artists, as well as opening hours for each exhibition. The standard hours are Wednesday to Sunday from 12pm until 5pm. Entry is free.
Visit Tromso’s Culture Pass
If you are planning on visiting a lot of the museums on this list, almost all are part of Visit Tromso’s Culture Pass program!
This is how I visited on my last trip to Tromso. It saved me a bit of money and encouraged me to go out of my way to see some of them.
There are two types of passes: classic and culture. The classic pass also has a family pass option. Here is a quick breakdown of what is included in this museum pass:
- Classic pass: includes Fjellheisen cable car (normally $40+ round-trip), Polar Museum, Arctic University Museum of Norway, Polaria, Science Center of Northern Norway, Arctic Cathedral, and a bus ticket (1 day). See pricing here.
- Culture pass: includes Fjellheisen cable car (normally $40+ round-trip), Polar Museum, Arctic University Museum of Norway, Polaria, Magic Ice, Arctic Cathedral, Troll Museum, Perspektivet Museum, Art Museum of Northern Norway, Science Center of Northern Norway, and bus ticket (7 days). See pricing here.
You can pick up your Tromso Pass at the Tourist Information Center (located on the second floor of Prostneset Harbour Terminal or at Storgata 83). This is the only place you can purchase one.
Museums in Tromso (On a Map!)
Did I miss any of the best museums in Tromso on this list? Let me know your favorite Tromso museums in the comments. Thanks!
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Megan is a travel blogger and writer with a background in digital marketing. Originally from Richmond, VA, she now lives in Finnish Lapland after previous stints in Norway, Germany, Armenia, and Kazakhstan. She has a passion for winter travel, as well as the Nordic countries, but you can also find her eating her way through Italy, perusing perfume stores in Paris, or taking road trips through the USA. Megan has written for or been featured by National Geographic, Forbes, Lonely Planet, the New York Times, and more. She co-authored Fodor’s Travel ‘Essential Norway’ (2020) and has visited 45 US states and 100+ countries.