Bryggens Museum - Bergen City Museum

Bryggens Museum display findings of the archaeological excavations of Bryggen from 1955 and contains the foundations of the oldest buildings in Bergen.

New main exhibit: Under Ground

Bryggens Museum's new main exhibit is not completely finished, but we've nonetheless chosen to open our doors this summer for the benefit of the thousands of tourists who's only stay in Bergen may be the summer of 2019. The new exhibit uses thousands of artifacts and modern historical and archaeological research to let you come closer to the everyday lives of the medieval people of Bergen and Western Norway. Runic inscriptions with gossip, poems and spells tells us about faith and love, while ceramics from Europe and the Middle-East shows an extensive and international trade network. The new exhibit also displays the unique Guddal-garment - a nearly thousand year old find, which is one of extremely few relatively intact pieces of Norwegian medieval clothing.

The history of Bergen and Bryggen's Museum

Bryggen in Bergen has been a busy part of the city since the Middle Ages. Both the oldest wooden buildings and the thick cultural layers located below ground appear on the UNESCO World Heritage List.

In 1955 parts of Bryggen burnt down, and the 13 year archaeological excavation which subsequently took place uncovered hundreds of thousands of objects which give an insight into everyday life in the city in the Middle Ages. After the fire there was a heated discussion over the future of Bryggen, and many of the city’s inhabitants wanted to demolish the remaining wooden buildings.

Fortunately public opinion changed, helped by the new and till then unknown stories of the city that was being unearthed. As a result - and with chief curator Asbjørn Herteig as the driving force – Bryggens Museum was established in 1976.

The museum houses archaeological material from Bergen and Vestlandet in the Middle Ages, where the rich finds from the Bryggen excavations and later archaeological research in the city take centre stage. Bryggens Museum is built over the remains of Bergen’s oldest buildings from the first half of the 1100s. These architectural remains are still an important part of the museum’s permanent exhibition, and give visitors the experience of life in Bergen in the Middle Ages.

Lectures and tours

The museum offers several lectures throughout the year. Our popular monday-lectures will be held as usual during the fall of 2018 and spring of 2019. We will also continue our cooperation with the commander of Bergenhus Fortress on the series of "Stories from the fortress", as well as sunday-lectures.

Bryggens Museum is the starting point for "Bryggen Guiding - on foot", a historical walk through Bryggen's past, from Bryggens Museum through the antiquarian wooden buildings at Bryggen to the Hanseatic Museum. We also offer "Bergen in the Middle Ages - on foot", a walk from Bryggens Museum to St. Mary's Church and the Rosenkrantztower (only in English).

Welcome to exhibitions, lectures and guided tours at the «new» Bryggens Museum in 2019.

Guided tours

Bryggens Museum is also the startpoint for two guided tours:
- Guided walks of Bryggen: The tour goes from Bryggens Museum among the old wooden buildings at Bryggen to the Hanseatic Museum.
- Medieval tour Bryggens Museum- St.Mary's Church-The Rosenkrantz Tower: New guided tour including Bryggens Museum, St. Mary's Church and the Rosenkrantz Tower.