A new exhibition at the Kon-Tiki Museum in Oslo brings the story of Thor Heyerdahl into the present day through new perspectives, interactive exhibits, and the vision of the legendary explorer's granddaughter.
Bringing Kon-Tiki to life
Through a new exhibition
“You can’t buy a ticket to paradise. You have to find it within yourself.”
Thor Heyerdahl
Adventurer
Thor Heyerdahl, the Norwegian explorer best known for the Kon-Tiki expedition, became world-famous for his daring journeys and unconventional theories.
Today, at the Kon-Tiki Museum, his granddaughter, Liv Heyerdahl, is helping preserve his legacy and share it with a new generation.
Thor Heyerdahl became world-famous for crossing the Pacific Ocean on a balsa wood raft in 1947. But according to his granddaughter, the legacy he left behind is not just about the journeys:
A love story
Before Kon-Tiki, Thor Heyerdahl was a young student of zoology and geography, fascinated by nature. Together with his young wife, Liv, he dreamed of leaving modern society behind and living closer to nature.
The day after their wedding in 1936, the couple set sail for the remote island of Fatu Hiva in Polynesia. He was 22, she was 20.
During his time there, Heyerdahl became increasingly interested in how people had first reached the Pacific islands. At the time, most researchers believed Polynesia had been populated exclusively from Asia. Heyerdahl developed a controversial theory that people may also have travelled from South America across the Pacific Ocean.
When his ideas were dismissed by the scientific establishment, he decided to prove that such a journey was possible.
In 1947, he crossed the Pacific on the balsa wood raft Kon-Tiki.
Back in Norway, his wife Liv Heyerdahl carried major responsibility of her own. During much of the war, she cared for their two young sons, and in the years leading up to the Kon-Tiki expedition, she supported Thor’s work while also raising the children.
For Liv Heyerdahl, the exhibition is not only about preserving her grandfather’s legacy, but also about ensuring that it continues to inspire new generations.
“My grandfather left behind a remarkable life’s work, and my task is to make it relevant and accessible for the generations growing up today.”
Liv Heyerdahl
Director at the Kon-Tiki Museum
A museum you can experience
The new exhibition marks a shift in how that story is communicated.
"As both director of the museum and Thor Heyerdahl’s granddaughter, I feel a great responsibility to carry forward an important legacy," says Heyerdahl.
She describes the new exhibition as being much more interactive than before.
"It communicates through multiple channels and invites visitors to really get involved."
Soundscapes, projections, and archival recordings guide visitors through the Kon-Tiki hall, while interactive installations allow them to steer a raft and explore life beneath the surface.
"We wanted to create something with energy, colour, and life," she says.
The exhibition also highlights stories that have long remained in the background.
The Easter Island collection
The exhibition also features artefacts brought to Norway from Easter Island in connection with Thor Heyerdahl’s expedition in 1956.
The Islanders permitted Heyerdahl to take the pieces with him for research purposes on the condition that some of them would eventually be returned.
"It was never the intention for all of them to remain here permanently," says Liv Heyerdahl.
Parts of the collection, including human remains, have already been formally returned to representatives from Rapa Nui, while other pieces remain at the museum until the community is ready to receive them.
For now, visitors still have a rare opportunity to see some of these artefacts on display at the museum. The plan is to create 3D replicas before the originals are returned.
Why Heyerdahl still matters
For Liv Heyerdahl, her grandfather's relevance lies not only in the expeditions, but in the mindset behind them.
"He faced a lot of pushback, but he kept believing in his ideas," she says.
She also points to his concern for the environment. Long before climate issues became mainstream, Thor Heyerdahl documented pollution at sea and spoke out internationally.
During the Tigris expedition in 1978, he burned his own boat in protest against war and conflict.
The museum archive contains handwritten diaries, letters, photographs, and notes from Thor Heyerdahl’s travels.
“It’s important to keep these stories alive”
Liv Heyerdahl
Director at the Kon-Tiki Museum
Exploring Bygdøy
Located on the Bygdøy peninsula, the Kon-Tiki Museum is next door to several of Oslo's most popular museums, including the Fram Museum, the Norwegian Maritime Museum, and more.
