Royal & Ancient Polar Bear Society

On our way to the harbor area, we took a peek inside a one-room museum with a grand name ... the Royal and Ancient Polar Bear Society.

There’s really nothing royal or ancient about the museum, which is free to visitors. Its significance lies in the fact that the polar bear is the town mascot and is also featured on the heraldic crest.

It took us all of 15 minutes to check out the few artifacts and historic photographs from the early days of Hammerfest, and take a quick peek at the stuffed animals ... from birds, to seals, to — of course — a polar bear.Read more