Tjuvholmen Sculpture Park, Oslo: Public art near Aker Brygge

The Tjuvholmen Sculpture Park offers free public art next to the Astrup Fearnley Museum in Oslo.

Where is the Tjuvholmen Sculpture Park?

The Tjuvolhem Sculpture Park is one of the best places in Oslo to see public art. It’s nowhere near on the scale of the more famous Vigeland Park elsewhere in the city, but the Tjuvholmen Sculpture Park does have the advantage of location. It’s on Tjuvholmen Island near the touristy Aker Brygge waterside strip on the Oslofjord, next to the city centre.

What to see in the Tjuvholmen Sculpture Park?

The Tjuvholmen Sculpture Park is small, but ambitious. It features seven commissioned works from major international artists including Ugo Rondinone, Anish Kapoor and Antony Gormley.

Ugo Rondinone’s Moonrise is a splodgy, alien-style head with a smile on its face, while Gormley’s Edge II is a cast iron human figure attached at 90 degrees to the Astrup Fearnley Museum and facing down.

Public art on the Oslo waterfront

Franz West’s Spalt is by the water’s edge, featuring a supersized and brightly-painted anchor, life buoy and rope. But perhaps the most recognisable artwork in the Tjuvholmen Sculpture Park is Eyes by Louise Bourgeois.

Eyes features two giant metal balls with nipple-like protrusions on the front. This Oslo sculpture may be called eyes, but sure looks like breasts.

Tjuvholmen Sculpture Park entry fee

There is no entry fee to enter the Tjuvholmen Sculpture Park, which makes it a great way of spending half an hour in an otherwise expensive city. Nearby attractions include The Salmon and the Nobel Peace Center. It’s also a short ferry hop from the Bygdoy Peninsula, where you can see Roald Amundsen’s ship, visit the Kon-Tiki Museum and enjoy the Norsk Folkemuseum.

More Norway travel ideas

Other Oslo experiences include fjord cruises on a silent electric catamaran, bike tours and sea kayaking adventures.

If you’ve found this article on the Salmon Tjuvholmen in Oslo helpful, check out these other Norway pieces:

• Are there any direct flights from Edinburgh to Oslo?
• Which Oslo museums and attractions are open on Mondays?
• Is there a Fridtjof Nansen Museum in Oslo?
• A practical guide to visiting Nidaros Cathedral in Trondheim.
• Five lessons learned from a Norwegian fjords cruise.

Disclosure: There are affiliate links within this article. If you buy a product after clicking through on these links, I will earn a small commission at no extra cost to you.