7 Best Sights in Sentrum, Bergen

Home of the Bergen Philharmonic Orchestra and stage for the Bergen International Festival, this music hall is a conspicuous slab of glass and concrete that's used throughout the year for cultural events. The acoustics are marvelous. Built in 1978, the hall was named for the city's famous son, composer Edvard Grieg (1843–1907).

Looking out over the pretty Byparken, this neoclassical edifice was called the Permanenten when it first opened its doors in 1896. The centerpiece of the collection is the Sølvskatten (the Silver Treasure), a glittering display of items of gold, silver, and other precious metals created in Bergen. It also holds an eclectic collection of antiques and artworks from Europe and Asia. The Italian eatery Bien Centro is located on-site.

Opening its doors in 1978, the newest of the museums in the KODE complex hosts temporary art exhibitions. The biggest draw here is the bookstore, which has an impressive collection of volumes on art, architecture, and design. Fjåk is a casual eatery that's perfect for lunch, coffee in the afternoon, or anytime chocolate fix.

If you're here to see the amazing works by Edvard Munch—the painter who gave the world The Scream—this is the museum for you. The museum is dedicated to Munch and other Norwegian artists like J.C. Dahl, Harriet Backer, Erik Werenskiold, and Gerhard Munthe. The building itself was designed by architect Ole Landmark in 1916 to house the huge collection amassed by businessman Rasmus Meyer.

In a building strongly resembling a huge battery—it was originally the headquarters for an electrical power company—KODE 4 lets you travel through art history with a collection ranging from the 13th century to the 20th, including works by international luminaries like Pablo Picasso and Norwegian favorites like Nikolai Astrup. KunstLab, an art museum geared toward children, is on the ground floor. Foodies will find themselves drawn to Lysverket, a Michelin-starred restaurant specializing in seafood.

St. George's Hospital tended to people with leprosy for more than 500 years, and this unusual museum is now a memorial to the thousands who suffered from the disease as well as a testament to Norway's contribution to leprosy research. The building is surprisingly beautiful, especially the main ward with its tiny examining rooms and the hand-carved wood of the chapel. Many Norwegian doctors have been recognized for their efforts against leprosy, particularly Armauer Hansen, who discovered the leprosy bacteria, and after whom Hansen's disease is named.