Rainy day · Oslo · Norway
8 things to do in Oslo when it rains
Indoor sights that make a wet day feel planned rather than lost.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Photo: Tore Storm Halvorsen, CC BY-SA 4.0
Quick answer
Start with MUNCH, National Museum and Oslo City Hall. Together the 8 picks below take roughly 11–15 hours across 6 areas; 2 are free. August is usually the wettest month, with about 12 rainy days.
Key facts
- Places in this guide
- 8
- Free entry
- 2
- Time to see them all
- 11–15 hours
- Areas
- Bjørvika, Aker Brygge and Sentrum
Oslo on a rainy day
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Museum · Bjørvika
1.MUNCH
Check which version of The Scream is on display when you arrive, and finish with the view from the top floors.
- Time needed
- 2–3 hours
- Cost
- Mid-priced
- Iconic
- Art
- Rainy day
- Views
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Museum · Aker Brygge
2.National Museum
Find the Munch room early in the day before it fills, then work through the design collection.
- Time needed
- 2–3 hours
- Cost
- Mid-priced
- Art
- Iconic
- Rainy day
- Architecture
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Architecture · Sentrum
3.Oslo City Hall
Combine it with the National Museum next door and the harbour promenade; it is a good free stop when it rains.
- Time needed
- 45 minutes
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- History
- Art
- Rainy day
- Architecture
Museum · Bygdøy
4.Fram Museum
Pair it with the Kon-Tiki Museum across the square; both are at Bygdøynes, the stop for the summer ferry.
- Time needed
- 1.5–2 hours
- Cost
- Mid-priced
- History
- Kids
- Rainy day
Museum · Bygdøy
5.Kon-Tiki Museum
Visit after the Fram Museum, which is a one-minute walk away.
- Time needed
- 1 hour
- Cost
- Mid-priced
- History
- Kids
- Rainy day
Architecture · Bjørvika
6.Deichman Bjørvika library
Climb to the top floor for the view over the Opera House, then rest on the window benches with a coffee.
- Time needed
- 45 minutes
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- Architecture
- Rainy day
- Views
Market · Grünerløkka
7.Mathallen Oslo
Ask cheese counters to let you taste different brunost styles, from mild to the darker goat's-milk versions.
- Time needed
- 1 hour
- Cost
- Low cost
- Food
- Rainy day
- Shopping
Museum · Kjelsås
8.Norwegian Museum of Science and Technology
Combine it with the Akerselva river walk, which starts just down the hill.
- Time needed
- 2–3 hours
- Cost
- Mid-priced
- Kids
- Rainy day
- History
Grouped by area
| Area | Places | Time needed |
|---|---|---|
| Bjørvika | MUNCH and Deichman Bjørvika library | 2–3 hours + 45 minutes |
| Aker Brygge | National Museum | 2–3 hours |
| Sentrum | Oslo City Hall | 45 minutes |
| Bygdøy | Fram Museum and Kon-Tiki Museum | 1.5–2 hours + 1 hour |
| Grünerløkka | Mathallen Oslo | 1 hour |
| Kjelsås | Norwegian Museum of Science and Technology | 2–3 hours |
Booking and timing
Of these 8, 2 free, 1 low cost, 5 mid-priced. Book ahead for MUNCH. The longest visit is MUNCH; group the rest by area to save travel time.
- MUNCH: Timed tickets bought online help on summer weekends and for popular temporary exhibitions.
How to fit them into 4 half-days
Grouped by area and kept to about four hours each, so you walk more than you ride.
- Half-day 1 (Bjørvika): MUNCH → Deichman Bjørvika library, at least 3 hours.
- Half-day 2 (Aker Brygge and Sentrum): National Museum → Oslo City Hall, at least 3 hours.
- Half-day 3 (Bygdøy and Grünerløkka): Fram Museum → Kon-Tiki Museum → Mathallen Oslo, at least 4 hours.
- Half-day 4 (Kjelsås): Norwegian Museum of Science and Technology, at least 2 hours.
The wettest months
- August: highs of 21°C (70°F), about 12 rainy days, busy crowds. Still warm, with the sea at its warmest for swimming; showers become more frequent late in the month.
- July: highs of 22°C (72°F), about 11 rainy days, very busy crowds. Warmest month and peak tourist season, though many locals are away on holiday and some restaurants close for a few weeks.
- October: highs of 9°C (48°F), about 11 rainy days, quiet crowds. Golden birch woods early in the month, then cooler, wetter weather and noticeably shorter days.
The neighbourhoods they are in
- Sentrum and Karl Johans gate — The main pedestrian street from Oslo Central Station to the Royal Palace, with Parliament and the National Theatre
- Bjørvika and Sørenga — New waterfront quarter of the Opera House, MUNCH, the Deichman library and a seawater pool
- Aker Brygge and Tjuvholmen — Former shipyard turned glassy waterfront of restaurants, galleries and fjord ferries
- Grünerløkka — Old workers' district by the Akerselva river with cafés, vintage shops and bars around Olaf Ryes plass
More of Oslo
Questions travellers ask
+Where should I start in Oslo?
MUNCH. The 13-storey MUNCH museum opened in 2021 to hold the huge collection Edvard Munch left to the city, including painted, drawn and printed versions of The Scream, which are shown in rotation to protect them.
+Which of these are free in Oslo?
Oslo City Hall and Deichman Bjørvika library.