Bryggens Museum is an archaeological museum in Bergen, Norway, built over the remains of the city’s oldest buildings, beside the UNESCO World Heritage Site Bryggen. This guide covers opening hours, ticket prices, transport and parking, accessibility, and practical visitor tips.
This guide was updated in July 2026. One detail worth flagging: the museum’s main exhibition is now officially called “Below Ground,” though some other guides still use the earlier name “Under Ground” for the same display.
Quick facts
| Opening hours | Daily 10:00–17:00, 12 January to 30 December |
| Ticket prices | Adults NOK 170; free for children aged 0 to 17 |
| Address | Dreggsallmenningen 3, 5003 Bergen |
| Nearest transport/parking | About a 10-minute walk from the Bergen Tourist Information Centre; no on-site parking |
| Typical time needed | 1–2 hours |
Bryggens Museum opening hours
Bryggens Museum opens daily from 10:00 to 17:00, from 12 January to 30 December. It closes for the day on 17 May, Norway’s Constitution Day, and again from 23 to 26 December and on 31 December.
These hours apply year-round, without the shorter winter hours some older guides describe, so the museum keeps the same daily schedule in both summer and winter.
Bryggens Museum ticket prices
Adult tickets cost NOK 170, and student tickets cost NOK 85. Children aged 0 to 17 enter free, though those under 14 must be accompanied by an adult.
A BT Fordel discount card gives a 25% reduction for up to two adults, bringing the adult price to NOK 130. Companion cards, Bymuseet season cards, and volunteer cards give free entry, and groups of 15 or more receive a 20% discount.
Bergen Card holders receive a 50% discount on entry to Bryggens Museum, according to the museum’s own pricing table. The Bergen Card also covers free or discounted access to more than 30 attractions across the city, including the Fløibanen funicular, KODE art museums, and Bergen Aquarium, plus free travel on light rail and buses.
Opening hours and ticket prices were checked on the official Bryggens Museum page and last updated in July 2026.
How to get to Bryggens Museum
Bryggens Museum is in the Bryggen area of central Bergen, next to the Radisson Blu Royal Hotel. From the Bergen Tourist Information Centre at the Fish Market, it’s roughly a 10-minute walk along the harbourfront.
From Bergen Airport, the Bybanen light rail runs to Byparken in the city centre in about 40 minutes, followed by a short walk to Bryggen. A section of Bybanen line 1, between Byparken and Slettebakken, is closed for maintenance from 29 June to 26 July 2026, with replacement buses running in its place.
Parking at Bryggens Museum
There is no dedicated visitor parking at Bryggens Museum. The nearest public parking is in multi-storey car parks in central Bergen, and Bergen Card holders receive a discount at some of these.
Given the narrow, largely pedestrianised streets around Bryggen, most visitors find walking, cycling, or public transport more practical than driving.
How long to spend at Bryggens Museum
Most visitors spend one to two hours at Bryggens Museum, enough time for the main exhibition and the current temporary display. Visitors joining the 90-minute Bryggen Guiding walk, which includes same-day entry to the museum and Schøtstuene, should allow extra time either side.
Families using the children’s activity booklet, with its drawing competition, puzzle, and treasure hunt, often spend closer to two hours.
Accessibility at Bryggens Museum
Bryggens Museum is wheelchair accessible, with a ground-level entrance and an accessible restroom. The museum shop and café are on the same level as the entrance.
The auditorium has a hearing loop and good microphones for hearing-impaired visitors. A companion card gives free or discounted entry to a visitor’s companion.
Inside Bryggens Museum: what to see
The main exhibition, Below Ground, uses thousands of artefacts to show everyday medieval life in Bergen and Western Norway, including runic inscriptions and imported ceramics that reveal an international trade network.
The Guddal garment, on display within the main exhibition, is a nearly thousand-year-old find and one of very few relatively intact pieces of Norwegian medieval clothing.
The museum itself grew out of a 13-year archaeological excavation that followed a 1955 fire at Bryggen, which uncovered hundreds of thousands of medieval objects. Bryggens Museum opened in 1976, with chief curator Asbjørn Herteig as its driving force.
Architectural remains of Bergen’s oldest buildings, dating from the early 1100s, form part of the museum’s structure and give a direct sense of medieval Bergen.
The temporary exhibition, Tales in Thread, presents a tapestry series called “Åsmund Frægdagjeva” by artist Ragna Breivik.
Bryggen Guiding is a 90-minute guided walk, in English, from the museum through Bryggen’s historic wooden buildings, with same-day entry to the museum and Schøtstuene included.
Practical visitor tips
| Topic | Tip |
|---|---|
| Timing | Visit in the morning, before tour groups tend to arrive in the early afternoon. |
| Crowds | Late afternoon, closer to closing time, is usually the quietest period. |
| Layout | Start in the ground-floor Below Ground exhibition before moving to the upstairs textile display. |
| Entry process | Buy standard tickets online or at the entrance desk; guided-tour tickets are sold separately. |
| On-site logistics | Use the cloakroom for coats and bags, and connect to the free Wi-Fi for the audio guide. |
Frequently asked questions about Bryggens Museum
| Question | Answer |
|---|---|
| Is Bryggens Museum suitable for children? | Yes, with an activity booklet and treasure hunt, though the exhibition suits older children best. |
| Do you need to book tickets in advance for Bryggens Museum? | No, standard entry can be bought on arrival, but guided tours should be booked ahead. |
| Is Bryggens Museum open on Sundays? | Yes, it opens daily from 10:00 to 17:00, with a few exceptions in May and December. |
| Is Bryggens Museum wheelchair accessible? | Yes, it has a ground-level entrance, an accessible restroom, and a hearing loop in the auditorium. |
| Is there a café or shop at Bryggens Museum? | Yes, both a café and a museum shop are on site. |
Things to do near Bryggens Museum
St Mary’s Church, Bergen’s oldest surviving building, is about two minutes’ walk away.
The Hanseatic Museum and Schøtstuene, a preserved Hanseatic-era merchant’s house and assembly rooms, is about two minutes’ walk away.
Rosenkrantz Tower, a fortified 16th-century residence, is about five minutes’ walk away.
Håkon’s Hall, a 13th-century royal banqueting hall, is about five minutes’ walk away.
Bergen Fish Market, a seafood and produce market on the harbourfront, is about ten minutes’ walk away.
What to visit tomorrow
Alvøen, a historic industrial manor and heritage site west of Bergen, is about 20 minutes away.
Osterøy Museum, a folk museum covering rural life and traditional crafts, is about 40 minutes away.
Fjell Fortress Museum, a large wartime coastal fortress on Sotra, is about 45 minutes away.
Telavåg 1942, a museum on the wartime history of a coastal community on Sotra, is about one hour away.
Sunnhordland Museum, a regional history museum on the island of Stord, is about one hour 30 minutes away by ferry and road.
More Norway travel
Other Norway travel guides on Planet Whitley include:
- What to expect from Mostraumen fjord cruises from Bergen.
- Lessons learned from a Norwegian fjords cruise itinerary.
- Experience whitewater rafting in Voss, Norway.
- How to visit Tvindefossen waterfall near Voss.
- Oslo museum guides: The Salmon, the Kon-Tiki Museum, the Nobel Peace Center, the Norsk Folkemuseum, the National Museum of Norway and the Munch Museum.
