Arctic University Museum of Norway

Norges arktiske universitetsmuseum is honestly one of the must-visit places in Tromsø. I’m not really a “museum person” at all. I actually went in just because the snow was heavy, I needed somewhere warm to sit for a bit, and I wanted to use the toilet. But I ended up spending almost three hours inside! The museum is very informative and laid out in a way that makes it easy to follow, even if you don’t usually enjoy museums. I learned so much about Arctic nature, local history and culture without ever feeling bored. It’s the kind of place where you think you’ll just take a quick look around and suddenly realise a few hours have passed. If you’re in Tromsø, whether you love museums or you’re just escaping the weather like I was, this place is definitely worth a visit.

We spent over two hours here and really enjoyed it! The exhibits are so interesting, I especially enjoyed the Northern Lights one which had really good videos on display about the science behind how it works, and the myths about the lights historically. It was disappointing that the Sámi exhibition on the top floor wasn’t in English, we weren’t able to read anything, only look at the displays.

Fascinating and affordable especially for students. The museum cafe was beautiful, again very affordable (around 1€ for a tea), and they had the best homemade carrot cake I have ever eaten ! Bonus for the workers that were adorable.

A good museum with a nice exhibit on Sámi culture and the people, as well as exhibits on geology and the northern lights. The latter was somewhat disappointing, with not much to see or do. The museum staff were very friendly, but the cafe and toilets were dated. We also went to the museum's once a month event on a Wednesday evening. It was lovely to be in an empty museum and meet some local people.

A nice variety of things, from geology to animals to the people of the North. Interesting info about the sociopolitical struggle of indigenous people in Norway, as well as how climate change is affecting the ice caps and fauna.

Came here as part of the family city pass. It was probably my favorite of the places we visited. I enjoyed the wide range of exhibits. I thought the geology room was well thought out. I also liked the multiple perspectives and history of the Sami people. The museum itself is nicely equipped with restrooms, lockers, rest area, and cafe

If you are in Tromso, take a few hours and visit. The incredible opportunity to learn about the Sami people is worth your time.

EXCELLENT permanent installations (the dioramas are especially good). But what I found outstanding is the written text. I often find the wall text too dry and academic (written by and for academics versus the general public). Here, it is written in a very easy to understand manner - and it absolutely stays with you - and they have made sure that the installation works in tandem with the information that is being communicated in the wall text.

Very interesting displays on traditional & modern Sami life & the Vikings. This museum was established in 1872 and features science & cultural exhibits, including ones related to Norway. We saw an exhibit about the Northern Lights, local rocks, lava & whale bones. Surprised bu the Holocaust exhibit. I discovered that this was Germany's winter paradise. During the Holocaust they rounded u most of the Jews for Auschwitz. However there is still a Jewish community here. I could have spent hours here.