Oslo's Best Activities By Season
Picking one Oslo activity to start with is easier once you know which ones cost nothing at all and which ones only run part of the year.
Free, whatever the season
Vigeland Sculpture Park in Frogner Park holds more than 200 works by Gustav Vigeland, including the 14-meter granite Monolith, open around the clock every day of the year with no ticket at any gate. The Oslo Opera House’s sloping marble roof gives the same free harbor view in January as it does in July, though the marble turns properly slick with ice in winter, so swap smooth soles for something with real grip. Akershus Fortress grounds are open 06:00 to 21:00 daily even when the castle interior is closed for the season, and the Royal Palace’s Changing of the Guard runs free at 13:30 most days.
Best in summer
Bygdoy’s museum peninsula is at its most walkable from spring through early autumn: the Fram Museum and the Kon-Tiki Museum sell a combined adult ticket for NOK 325, and the Norsk Folkemuseum’s open-air stave church and historic farmsteads add NOK 180 to 220 more, per its own visitor page . Bus 30 reaches the peninsula on a standard Ruter fare, or a privately operated seasonal ferry runs from Rådhusbrygge pier 3 from mid-March to early October, at its own fare rather than a Ruter ticket. Book Bygdoy museum tickets on GetYourGuide if you would rather have entry sorted before boarding the bus. A silent electric catamaran cruise past Dyna Lighthouse and the islands runs NOK 420 to 550 per person and suits a long summer evening better than a short winter afternoon.
Best in winter
MUNCH’s rotating Scream works in Bjorvika stay open through winter and drop to free entry on Wednesday evenings from 18:00 to 21:00 outside July and August, per munch.no , making a dark winter Wednesday one of the better-value nights in the city. Holmenkollen’s ski jump museum and panoramic elevator, adult admission around NOK 185, work just as well on a cold day as a warm one, and the surrounding trails turn into floodlit cross-country routes once the snow settles. Compare guided Holmenkollen visits on Viator if a narrated tour beats reading the exhibits solo.
Making the pass math work
The Oslo Pass runs NOK 580 for 24 hours, NOK 845 for 48, and NOK 995 for 72, bundling Zone 1 transit with entry to more than 30 museums; check the current tiers on VisitOslo’s own pricing page before deciding which length fits the days on your list. It earns its price fastest for a visit stacking two or three paid museums onto heavy transit use, and it is a weak bet if a free day at Vigeland Park is most of the plan. Our day trips guide picks up once the city’s own seasonal highlights are covered.
Buy the Fram and Kon-Tiki combo ticket at either museum’s front desk; neither sells it online in advance.