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Karl Johans Gate, starting at Oslo Sentralstasjon (Oslo Central Station, also called Oslo S or simply Jernbanetorget ("railway square" in Norwegian), and ending at the Royal Palace, forms the backbone of downtown Oslo. Many major museums and historic buildings lie between the parallel streets of Grensen and Rådhusgata. West of downtown are Frogner and Majorstuen, residential areas with fine restaurants, shopping, cafés, galleries, and the Vigeland sculpture park. Southwest is the Bygdøy Peninsula, with a castle and five interesting museums that honor aspects of Norway's taste for maritime exploration.
Northwest of town is Holmenkollen, with its stunning bird's-eye view of the city and the surrounding fjords, a world-famous ski jump and museum, and three historic restaurants. On the more multicultural east side, where a diverse immigrant population lives alongside native Norwegians, are the Munch Museum and the Botanisk Hage og Naturhistorisk Museum (Botanical Gardens and Museum of Natural History), where you can see Ida, the oldest primate fossil ever found, our 47-million-year old ancestor. The trendy neighborhood of Grünerløkka, with lots of cafés and shops, is northeast of the center.
Across the pedestrian bridge from Aker Brygge, the privately funded Astrup Fearnley Museum of Modern Art is one of the city's architectural gems. The waterfront structure was designed by architect Renzo Piano, who placed three separate pavilions under one massive glass roof that—appropriate enough for this former shipbuilding center—resembles a billowing sail. The collection has earned a stellar reputation for its contemporary art from around the world.
Fascinatingly, both the permanent and changing exhibitions cater to an expansive audience. Since its opening, the huge glass structure has seen Surrealist retrospectives, a mini--history museum on Munch's childhood, a sound installation collaboration with one of Norway's most revered black metal artists, and new work from the likes of Tracey Emin and famed collectors---plus concerts and shows from global talent.
Then there's the view from the top. The exquisite architectural design makes for indoor and outdoor panoramic views of the fjord and the new district that's risen from the waters. A buzzing bistro-style restaurant serving everything from oysters to lamb plus a great cocktail bar impress. On the ground floor, a very chic and airy café offers open-faced sandwiches, salads, and jacket potatoes to munch on as you browse the life of Munch.
“I am anchored to my work so that I cannot move. If I walk down the street one day a thousand hands from work hold on to me. I am tied to the studio and the road is never long,” said Gustav Vigeland in 1912. This museum was the Norwegian sculptor’s studio and residence. It houses models of almost all his works, as well as sculptures, drawings, woodcuts, and the original molds and plans for Vigeland Park. Wander through this intense world of enormous snowy-white plaster, clustered nudes, and busts of such famous Norwegians as Henrik Ibsen and Edvard Grieg.
