Gamle Bergen (Old Bergen Museum)

Any other time we would have walked the 1 mile between the port and Gamle Bergen [Old Bergen Museum]. Since Mui was feeling poorly, however, we hopped on a public bus instead. The museum was just a short walk from where we got off the bus.

The outdoor museum, which opened in 1946, is set up like a small town with 50+ houses dating from the period between the 18th through the 20th centuries. Many of the houses were moved here from the Bergen city center.

Norway is an expensive country. The museum admission was no exception — Nkr 120 pp ($13 each). I’m not sure the admission was worth it. What was most disappointing was the interior of the buildings, which were clearly lacking TLC [tender loving care] ... a lot of dust; furnishings showing a lot of wear and tear. It didn’t help that docents were available only in one of the houses.

Nonetheless, we enjoyed our experience ... especially wandering the grounds and finding nooks and crannies where we could soak in the atmosphere of “Old Bergen.”Read more