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August 2024

Oslo-Natural History Museum

-Karthik Gurumurthy

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Imagine walking into Norway's oldest and biggest natural history museum, sitting in Oslo's Tøyen neighborhood. This place has been wowing visitors since it started as a botanical garden back in 1814, and now it's got some of the most amazing geological exhibitions in all of Northern Europe.

Let me walk you through the highlights - it's like taking a time machine through Earth's history!

First up is the "Evolution of Life" exhibit, which is basically Earth's family album through time. We're talking dinosaurs, whales, humans - the whole gang! It shows how life has been playing this endless game of adaptation through billions of years, dealing with everything from climate change to continental drift. Scientists use fossils like nature's puzzle pieces to figure out our planet's wild story.

Then there's the "History of Oceans" section, which is all about the North Sea and Barents Sea. Think of it as diving 200 million years into the past! Thanks to oil industry drilling, we've got these cool core samples that tell us what life was like way back when. Plus, there's some neat stuff about how parts of the ocean floor ended up becoming the Svalbard islands!

The "Minerals and Rocks" exhibition is like Earth's jewelry box - they've kept it exactly as it was when it opened in 1920 (talk about vintage!). It shows how minerals are basically everywhere and how they're super important for stuff we use every day. There's a special section just about Norway's geology and its historic mines.

Now, the "Stories from Space" exhibit is where things get really cosmic. Get this - the oldest rocks on Earth are "only" 4.3 billion years old, but to learn about Earth's baby photos, we need to look at space rocks! They've got actual meteorites on display and a whole section about our solar system.

Finally, there's the "Dynamic Earth" exhibit, which explains why Earth is basically the cool kid of the solar system. It's like a perfect recipe - we've got oceans, forests, breathable air, and all these unique features that make life possible. They call it the Blue Planet for a reason!

What makes this museum special is how it connects all these different pieces of Earth's story. You can see how everything - from tiny minerals to massive dinosaurs, from ancient oceans to space rocks - fits together to tell the story of our planet. It's pretty mind-blowing to think about how all these processes had to work just right to create the world we know today.

The whole place is set up to help you understand these big concepts, whether you're a science buff or just someone who's curious about how our world came to be. And hey, they've even got a piece of the Moon and a Norwegian flag that's been to space - how cool is that?


Botanical Garden, Oslo

-Karthik Gurumurthy


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This garden was founded in 1814 and is part of Natural History Museum  in Oslo. This living part collection includes more than 4500 different plant taza from around the world , and is used in education, conservation, outreach and research.

Although the Botanical Garden is an important recreational area for Oslo's population, it differs from a regular park in a collection of herbs, trees and other plants. About 90 % of the their plants from tiny herbts to colossal trees, came to the garden as seeds. They know who collected each seed and where they originated from, and all documentation is stored in their database.

Let me give you a casual rundown of this fascinating garden in Oslo!

This isn't your average park - it's a botanical garden that's been around since 1814 and is basically a living museum with over 4,500 different plants from all over the world. Pretty much everything here (about 90%) started as seeds, and they keep track of where each plant came from.

The place has some really cool sections:

  • A rock garden that's like a mini mountain landscape with about 1,500-1,700 different plants
  • A herb garden full of plants used for everything from cooking to making rope
  • A "systematic garden" where plants are arranged like a family tree (with related plants growing next to each other)
  • A super sweet area called "Great-granny's garden" that preserves old Norwegian plants from before the 1950s - it doubles as a sensory garden for people with dementia
  • A climate garden where kids can learn about weather through fun activities
  • An aromatic garden designed for visually impaired folks and wheelchair users, with raised beds of sweet-smelling plants
  • Picture stepping into a living time capsule! The Viking Garden is like taking a trip back to when the Vikings ruled the scene (793-1066 AD). It's not just about warriors and longships - you get to see the actual plants, animals, and even rocks that Vikings used in their everyday lives. Think of it as a hands-on glimpse into how these folks handled their daily business, from what they ate and wore to how they treated their ailments and made their tools. It's basically ancient Scandinavian life brought to life through nature!
  • There is also Willow Garden. Think of it as a natural playground for kids! This special area is like a mini adventure zone - it's got fences to keep the little ones safe, cool caves to explore, and these awesome sculptures made from living willow trees. The fun part? There are all these tree logs and stumps lying around that kids can drag around to make their own obstacle courses or create cozy spots to sit. It's basically nature's version of building blocks where kids can let their imagination run wild!
  • Stone Garden- Think of it as a hands-on rock playground! Kids get to go on this cool time-traveling adventure through Earth's history, but with actual rocks they can touch and explore. There are these massive, colorful rocks and super interesting formations that kids can actually get their hands on - no "don't touch" signs here! It's like being a mini geologist where you can learn to "read" rocks to figure out where they came from, kind of like being a rock detective. Plus, you get to discover how these rocks connect to stuff we use every day, like where metals come from. It's basically science class, but way more fun because you get to climb, touch, and explore!
  • Victoria House-  Imagine a really special greenhouse that's like stepping back into the 1800s! Back then, every fancy botanical garden in Europe was dying to show off this massive water lily from the Amazon - it was like the Instagram-worthy plant of its time. Remember, this was way before people could hop on a plane to see exotic plants, or even watch them on TV! The Victoria House (opened in 1876) is basically split into three cool areas: The main show is this pool with giant water lilies (they grow either Victoria cruziana or some fancy hybrid version). If you're lucky, you might catch some lotus flowers blooming too. Around the pool, they've got all these tropical plants you probably use in your kitchen but might never have seen growing - think ginger, coffee, and cinnamon plants in their natural state! Then there's this room on the right with plants from subtropical places - some of these guys go dormant when it's dry, either dropping their leaves or hiding out as bulbs underground. The botanists here have actually discovered some new species from Africa, and some are so rare that this greenhouse might be the only place they still exist! The left room is like a mini rainforest canopy - imagine looking up into the treetops! Along one wall, they've got these cool carnivorous plants (yes, plants that eat things!), and throughout the room there are plants that grow up in the treetops, called epiphytes - mostly orchids and some relatives of pineapples.
  • Palm House: This old greenhouse from 1868 is like a time machine split into three rooms. The middle room is super cool - it's showing off plants that tell Earth's history! You've got these ancient cycads (think dinosaur-era plants), and this amazing "living fossil" tree called Wollemia that everyone thought was extinct until they found it hiding out in Australia in 1994. There's even this awesome 50-million-year-old rock from Svalbard with leaf prints that look just like today's trees! On one side, you've got this Mediterranean paradise where you can catch camellias and orange trees blooming in the dead of winter (talk about beating the winter blues!). The other side is home to cacti and succulents that tough it out in a super dry climate.

Here's the ironic part - it's called the Palm House, but it's actually too short for palms! Though it did have one famous resident palm that grew there for 185 years. They called it "Smith's Palm" (named after the garden's first boss), and it was such a determined grower that they had to keep raising the roof to make room for it! It was like the garden's celebrity until it finally called it quits in 2000.

In Latin, arbor means tree.  hey've also got this massive tree collection (called an arboretum) with 1,200 different species from around the world. While some old-timers have been cut down over the years, they keep planting new ones to keep the collection growing.

Oh, and heads up - they do have some poisonous plants, so kids need adult supervision while visiting!


Boonji Spaceman- Aker Brygge- Oslo, Norway

-Karthik Gurumurthy

Please let me tell you about this super cool spaceman that just landed in Oslo! 🚀

So there's this awesome artist named Brendan Murphy who's known for making these incredible spaceman sculptures, and now Oslo's got one! It's called "What's Next" and it's hanging out at Aker Brygge. The coolest part? They painted it in this matte blue color that matches the Norwegian flag - how thoughtful is that?

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Fun fact: This isn't Murphy's first space rodeo! He started this whole spaceman thing back in 2021 in Antigua with this massive 22-foot sculpture (which was like, the biggest thing in the Caribbean at the time). Then he was like "Hey, let's spread the space love!" and put another one in London, and even one at the Houston Astros' stadium (because, you know, Houston and space are totally BFFs 🛸).

Now Oslo's got its own 22-foot spaceman, and it's all about bridging the gap between Oslo's past and future. Pretty deep, right?

Want to know more about the artist? Murphy's kind of a big deal - his art is in over 600 private collections (fancy!), and he creates all sorts of cool stuff from his studio in Miami.

 


Franklin D. Roosevelt statue- Norway, Oslo

-Karthik Gurumurthy

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The Franklin D. Roosevelt statue was a gift from the people of Oslo to honor FDR's support for Norway during World War II. Here's the heartwarming backstory:

During WWII, after Nazi Germany invaded Norway in 1940, Roosevelt was super supportive of Norway's struggle and their government-in-exile. He was like that awesome friend who has your back when times are tough! FDR made sure Norway got access to supplies and military aid through the Lend-Lease program, which was huge for the Norwegian resistance movement.

The statue was unveiled in 1950 in front of City Hall.

Fun fact: Crown Princess Martha of Norway actually lived in the US during the war years and was good friends with the Roosevelts! This personal connection helped strengthen the bonds between the two countries.

The coolest part? The statue shows Roosevelt sitting down (which was rare for statues back then) to acknowledge his physical challenges with polio while highlighting his strength as a leader. It's like Oslo wanted to show that what matters isn't whether you can stand, but whether you stand up for what's right!


The Norway Resistance Museum -Oslo, Norway

-Karthik Gurumurthy

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Let me tell you about this incredible museum that tells the story of Norway's secret heroes during World War II! 🏛️

The Norway Resistance Museum (Norges Hjemmefrontmuseum) is tucked away in beautiful Akershus Fortress in Oslo, and it's basically a time capsule of some seriously brave stuff that went down during WWII. Think secret radio rooms, underground newspapers, and spy gadgets that would make James Bond jealous!

The museum shows how regular Norwegians turned into secret resistance fighters when the Nazis occupied their country. You'll see:

  • Real resistance weapons and equipment
  • Secret radio sets used to contact the Allies
  • Underground newspapers (imagine running a secret newspaper under the Nazis' noses!)
  • Personal items from resistance members
  • The actual sabotage tools used to mess with Nazi plans

Cool stuff you shouldn't miss:

  • The recreated illegal radio room (super secret spy vibes!)
  • Photos and documents from actual operations
  • Stories about the famous heavy water sabotage (they even made a movie about this!)
  • Examples of fake IDs and documents they used to fool the Nazis

Pro tip: The museum's got these amazing personal stories that'll give you goosebumps. Don't rush through - take time to read about these everyday heroes who risked everything to fight back.

Want to hear some specific stories about the resistance operations or the brave people involved? There are some incredible tales to share!


Akershus Festning (Anno 1299)- Oslo, Norway

-Karthik Gurumurthy

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Picture this: a medieval castle sitting proudly in Oslo that's been through so much Norwegian history, it's like a stone time capsule! Built around the 1290s by King Haakon V, this fortress was basically Norway's medieval version of a Swiss Army knife - it's been a royal palace, a prison, a military base, and today it's even serving as the temporary office for Norway's prime minister!

The funny thing is, they built it because Oslo's old defenses were about as useful as a paper umbrella after a nobleman named Earl Alv Erlingsson attacked the city in 1287. Talk about learning from your mistakes!

Here's the cool part: this fortress has never been successfully conquered by foreign enemies (well, except when it surrendered to Nazi Germany in 1940, but that's another story). The Swedes tried multiple times over the centuries, but they always failed. One time, the locals even burned down their own houses to drive away Swedish attackers - now that's commitment!

As a royal pad, it was pretty fancy. It helped make Oslo (instead of Bergen) Norway's capital city, and lots of Norwegian royalty called it home. King Olaf II was even born there in 1370. Fast forward to today, and it's still got royal connections - there's a Royal Mausoleum where several Norwegian kings and queens are buried.

The fortress also had a darker side - it served as a prison nicknamed "The Slavery" because prisoners could be rented out for work (yikes!). All sorts of characters ended up there, from famous thieves to early Norwegian socialists.

These days, the fortress is way more welcoming. It's open to the public daily from 6 AM to 9 PM, and you can visit museums inside about the Norwegian Armed Forces and Norway's Resistance. The King's Guard still protects it, and tourists love taking photos with the guards at the entrance.


Fun fact: if you can't make it to Oslo, you can see a mini-version at Disney World in Florida! They've got a replica at Epcot's Norway Pavilion, complete with a restaurant called Akershus Royal Banquet Hall. Though I'm pretty sure the original didn't serve Disney Princess character dinners!
Through wars, sieges, royal drama, and centuries of history, Akershus Fortress has stood strong as a symbol of Norwegian resilience. Not bad for a building that's been around since before Columbus sailed to America!