The Polar Museum (Polarmuseet) is a history museum focusing on Arctic exploration, trapping and polar expeditions, located at Søndre Tollbodgate 11 on the waterfront in central Tromsø, Norway. This guide covers opening hours, ticket prices, how to get there, parking, accessibility, and practical tips to help you plan your visit.
Last updated: April 2026.
Quick facts
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Opening hours | Daily 10:00–18:00 |
| Closed | 1 May and 17 May |
| Address | Søndre Tollbodgate 11, 9008 Tromsø |
| Adult ticket | 120 NOK (note: official website states this as 2025 price, but does not provide separate 2026 price) |
| Child ticket (under 18) | Free |
| Nearest parking | Municipal car park adjacent to the museum (paid) |
| Getting there on foot | Approximately 10–15 minutes’ walk from central Tromsø |
| Typical visit length | 1.5–2 hours |
| Phone | +47 776 233 60 |
The Polar Museum opening hours
The Polar Museum is open every day of the year from 10:00 to 18:00, with two exceptions: it is closed on 1 May (International Workers’ Day) and 17 May (Norwegian Constitution Day). There are no seasonal variations in daily opening hours.
The museum does not operate guided tours at fixed times throughout the year. During the summer period (1 June to 15 August), guided tours run at 13:00.
Five great things to do in Tromso
- 🌌 Head out in search of the Northern Lights – on a guided tour with bonfire, dinner and winter suits.
- 🚤 Combine an Arctic fjord cruise – with wildlife-watching and a guided fishing experience.
- 🐋 Go silent whale-watching – in a hybrid electric boat.
- 🦌 On a Sami culture tour – feed reindeer and go reindeer-sledding.
- 📸 Take a fjord photographic tour – to Sommaroy with a professional photographer.
The Polar Museum ticket prices
A single admission ticket covers all permanent exhibitions inside the museum. There is no separate charge for individual galleries.
| Ticket type | Price |
|---|---|
| Adult | 120 NOK |
| Child (under 18) | Free |
| Senior (67+) / Disability | 100 NOK |
| Student / Military conscript | 100 NOK |
| UiT student | Free |
| Group (minimum 10 persons) | 100 NOK per person |
| Annual pass (adult) | 400 NOK |
Note: The official website currently shows 2025 prices.
The Polar Museum is included in several Tromsø Pass options, available from the Tourist Information Centre at Storgata 83 and Tromsø Harbour Prostneset. The Tromsø Pass Classic (1,306 NOK adult, 2026 price) covers the Polar Museum alongside the Cable Car (Fjellheisen), the Arctic University Museum of Norway, Polaria, the Science Centre of Northern Norway and the Arctic Cathedral. The Tromsø Pass Culture (1,964 NOK adult) extends this to also include Magic Ice, the Troll Museum, the Perspektivet Museum and the Art Museum of Northern Norway. Note that Fjellheisen is closed until 31 May 2026 for maintenance, and the pass is sold at a reduced price until then.
Opening hours and ticket prices were checked on the official museum website and last updated in April 2026.
How to get to the Polar Museum
The Polar Museum is located at the northern end of downtown Tromsø, within walking distance of most city-centre hotels. It sits directly on the waterfront at Søndre Tollbodgate 11.
Because it is centrally located, a large number of bus routes stop nearby. Bus tickets cannot be purchased at the museum. Buy them in advance at kiosks across Tromsø, at the Tromsø Passenger Terminal ticket counter, via the Troms Billett app, or using a Tromskortet electronic travel card.
Parking at the Polar Museum
The Polar Museum does not have its own car park. A municipal paid car park is located adjacent to the building. Payment is accepted by card, cash or via the EasyPark app. Motorists visiting from outside the city centre may find it easier to park further into town and walk along the harbourfront.
How long to spend at the Polar Museum
Most visitors spend between one and a half and two hours at the Polar Museum. The building is compact, with multiple interconnected rooms spread across two floors. Visitors who read the exhibition texts in full, or who take a guided tour, should allow closer to two hours.
The museum is busy during peak summer afternoons, particularly in July and August when cruise ships are in port. Visiting on weekday mornings tends to be quieter.
Accessibility at the Polar Museum
The Polar Museum is only partially accessible to wheelchair users. The ground floor is wheelchair accessible, but the upper floor is reached by stairs and has no lift. Narrow corridors on the ground floor may also be difficult to navigate in a wheelchair, particularly during busy periods.
There is no café on site. A gift shop is located inside the museum and stocks a wide range of Arctic and polar books as well as locally made souvenirs. Toilets are available inside the building.
Inside the Polar Museum: what to see
Roald Amundsen exhibition — A permanent exhibition covering Amundsen’s polar expeditions, including his 1911 race to the South Pole and his Northwest Passage crossing. Original artefacts, equipment and photographs are on display.
Fridtjof Nansen exhibition — Covers Nansen’s 1893–1896 Fram expedition, during which he and Hjalmar Johansen reached a then-record furthest north latitude. The exhibition includes personal items and expedition equipment.
Overwintering exhibition — Documents the lives of Arctic trappers who overwintered in Svalbard, including an original trapper’s hut relocated from Krosspynten. The exhibition covers hunting methods, daily routines and survival conditions.
Wanny and Henry: Hunting and Trapping in the Arctic — Focuses on Wanny Woldstad, one of the first women to overwinter as a hunter and trapper in Svalbard in the 1930s, alongside her partner Henry Rudi.
Seal hunting and Svalbard history exhibitions — Additional permanent displays cover the economic history of Arctic seal hunting and the early European presence in Svalbard from the 17th and 18th centuries, including artefacts from Willem Barents’ camp at Novaya Zemlya and Russian Pomor stations.
Practical visitor tips
| Tip | Detail |
|---|---|
| Arrive at opening time on weekdays | The museum opens at 10:00 and is generally quietest between 10:00 and 12:00 on weekdays, well before cruise passengers typically arrive in the afternoon. |
| Take the summer guided tour if visiting in July or August | A free guided tour runs at 13:00 daily from 1 June to 15 August; guides help contextualise the exhibitions, particularly for visitors unfamiliar with Norwegian polar history. |
| Check the bus before you go | The museum does not sell bus tickets; buy via the Troms Billett app or at kiosks in the city centre before travelling. |
| The upper floor requires stairs | Visitors with limited mobility should be aware that the second floor is not accessible by lift; the ground floor exhibitions are substantial enough to stand alone for those who cannot use the stairs. |
| The café is permanently closed | There are no food or drink facilities on site. The nearest cafés are a short walk towards the city centre along the harbourfront. |
Frequently asked questions about the Polar Museum
| Question | Answer |
|---|---|
| Is the Polar Museum suitable for children? | Yes. Children under 18 enter free. The exhibitions contain physical objects, models and photographs that are accessible to older children, though much of the content is text-heavy and better suited to adults and teenagers. |
| Do you need to book tickets in advance for the Polar Museum? | No advance booking is required or available for standard admission. Turn up at the door and pay on entry. |
| Is the Polar Museum open on Sundays? | Yes. The museum opens daily at 10:00, including Sundays, with the exception of 1 May and 17 May when it is closed. |
| Is the Polar Museum wheelchair accessible? | Only partially. The ground floor is accessible but the upper floor requires stairs and has no lift. Narrow ground-floor corridors can be difficult to navigate during busy periods. |
| Is the Polar Museum included in the Tromsø Pass? | Yes. It is included in the Tromsø Pass Classic, Tromsø Pass Culture and Tromsø Pass Family options. Passes must be bought at the Tourist Information Centre; they are not sold at the museum. |
Things to do near the Polar Museum
MS Polstjerna — A historic Arctic sealing vessel moored at Hjalmar Johansens gate 10, a five-minute walk from the Polar Museum. The ship is part of the same museum group (the Arctic University Museum of Norway) and is included in the same Tromsø Pass options. Its on-board exhibition covers life on a sealing vessel in the early 20th century.
Polaria — The world’s northernmost aquarium, located approximately ten minutes on foot along the harbourfront. It houses bearded, harbour and ringed seals, an Arctic aquarium and a panoramic cinema.
The Arctic University Museum of Norway — A broader natural history and cultural museum operated by the same institution as the Polar Museum, located a short bus or taxi ride from the city centre. Covers geology, Sámi culture, ecclesiastical art and Northern Lights research.
Fjellheisen Cable Car — A cable car providing access to a viewing platform at 421 metres, with panoramic views over Tromsø and the surrounding fjords. Note: closed for maintenance until at least 31 May 2026 – meaning you’ll have to take the Sherpa Stairs instead.
The Arctic Cathedral (Ishavskatedralen) — A distinctive triangular-shaped church located across the Tromsø Bridge in Tromsdalen, approximately ten minutes by bus from the city centre. Open to visitors year-round.
What to visit next: similar museums within the region
Comparable polar history and Arctic exploration museums are relatively sparse within a short drive of Tromsø, given the region’s remote location. The following are the most practical options.
Alta Museum, Alta — Approximately two and a half hours east of Tromsø by car (or a short domestic flight). A UNESCO World Heritage Site with one of the world’s largest concentrations of prehistoric rock carvings alongside exhibitions on Arctic cultural history.
Narvik War Museum (Krigsminnemuseet), Narvik — Around two and a half hours south of Tromsø by road. Covers the Second World War battles for Narvik, a significant chapter in Norwegian Arctic history, with original weapons, vehicles and personal accounts.
Tromsø University Museum — Geological collection — Part of the same institution and located on the UiT campus, this collection focuses on the natural geology and ecology of the High North and complements the historical focus of the Polar Museum.
Longyearbyen Museum (Svalbard Museum), Longyearbyen, Svalbard — Reachable by a 45-minute domestic flight from Tromsø, this is the most directly comparable museum, covering the full history of human settlement on Svalbard including hunting, mining, science and modern Arctic governance. The closest equivalent to the Polar Museum in terms of content and focus.
