Folkemuseet

Yesterday I visited a history museum and a museum with three viking ships. I am a history nerd, so it was a perfect day for me! The viking ship museum was great. I am in disbelief at how old the ships themselves are and how well preserved they are. All three were unearthed after being buried since the Viking times (800-1100 a.d.) Important people were buried in them along with many objects to take with them to the afterlife. One of the ships contained a woman along with her servant. The other two were for men. Apparently, horses and dogs were buried with them as well. When the ships were discovered, there was even peices of fabric still intact. It is hard to imagine being so important that you were buried in a ship. It is also hard to imagine how long it took to carve all the designs into the wood of the ships. This cart was inside one of the ships.

After that museum, we walked to the Folk Museum. The walk was through a really nice residentail neigborhood where it looked like most of the people had alot of money! The houses were really nice. It was right by the water (Oslo is situated around a fjord).

The museum was great and really big. There was alot to see. It started in a coutyard surrounded by buildings, which held exhibits about clothing and fashion, photography, sports, and toys. After that, we went to the surrounding area, which included many old houses from Norway's past-some original and some replicated. Many had old furniture in them and they looked like they probably did when people really lived there.

Courtyard of the museum This is a newer farmhouse

These two buildings are called storehouses-it was where a family would keep all thier clothes, including a bride's dowry, and anything else that needed to be stored. Notice the umbrella...still raining!

This is the stavkirke (stave church). It was build in the 13th century and moved to the museum more recently. It is amazing-it's made all of wood. While in the church, it was hard to imagine that people began worshipping there about 800 years ago. The walls around the altar area were painted and there was ornate carving everywhere. Although there were no specific rules about photos, it seems to be a respected, peaceful place. No one was taking pictures or talking very much (even though there was a costumed employee present to answer questions!) I wish all of you could have seen it. Sorry about the sideways picture-I had to copy it from a friend's website.

The top photo is stacy and me sitting on an old mill, the bottom one is me on the porch of a dollhouse/playhouse-complete with lifesize dolls inside.

Don't worry-I do other things besides hanging out at museums all the time! This is taken at the student pub on Constitution Day.

Here is the crazy statue of the day-there are so many to choose from! It's F.D.R. the former U.S. President! What's he doing here?