5 Best Sights in Trondheim to the Lofoten Islands, Norway

Norwegian Coastal Express Museum

Fodor's choice
At this museum of the region's maritime history, you can go aboard the MS Finnmarken, a ship dating from 1956 that used to make the journey along the country's rugged coast. It was among the many ships that sailed the Hurtigruten, or "Express Route." It takes you through the history of long-distance ferries and details how shipping routes came into existence. It doesn't overlook the human element; including the lives lost opening up the region to travel and commerce.

Trondenes Historical Center

Fodor's choice
This museum covers the history of the region from the early Viking rulers to the German occupation during World War II. Although the museum's collection spans more than 2,000 years, its main focus is on the earliest eras of Scandinavian history. Using interactive displays and immersive multimedia presentations, the center really brings history to life. The grounds include many historical buildings and remnants of a long-ago way of life.

Lofoten Krigsminnemuseum

The Lofoten War Memorial Museum commemorates the struggles of World War II with displays of uniforms, weaponry, and other objects.

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Norsk Fiskeværsmuseum

This museum is dedicated to the industry that fortified this village for decades. It takes you back to a simpler time when the whole population's livelihood depended solely on what the seas brought in. It reenacts (in a realistic manner) the old life in the Lofoten Islands, showing how people baked, worked, and did the hard labor that built the islands to what they are today. There is a café on the premises.

NTNU Vitenskapsmuseet

This highly regarded university museum covers flora and fauna, minerals and rocks, archaeological and cultural discoveries---even church history. The eclectic exhibits include relics from the Stone Age as well as Viking artifacts and ecclesiastical articles from the 13th to 18th century. There's also a permanent exhibit showing daily life in medieval Trondheim.