Svalbard Museum
Svalbard Museum
4.5
Speciality MuseumsNatural History MuseumsHistory Museums
10:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Monday
10:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Tuesday
10:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Wednesday
10:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Thursday
10:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Friday
10:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Saturday
10:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Sunday
10:00 AM - 5:00 PM
About
The exhibition presents fragments of Svalbard's 400-year history and describes factors that help support life and the activities taking place here, which together reveal the close relationship between sea and land, nature and cultural history. Family friendly.
Duration: 1-2 hours
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See what travellers are saying
  • abmilw
    Milwaukee, Wisconsin674 contributions
    4.0 of 5 bubbles
    worth a stroll
    In english the Foreskining Museum means something totally different and one no-one would visit. But if you wandering the downtown area and have an extra hour - this museum actually does a good job of explaining the area and showing its history. They have some nice books there too.
    Visited April 2023
    Written 12 June 2023
  • Dianne L
    3 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    What a delight !!
    Very much enjoyed this dedicated museum housing a vast array of exhibits including plenty I haven't seen before - many of which taught me something new. Hugely interesting tales of local people and their struggles. And not least - a very small charge for entrance to the shop and museum plus - extremely friendly and helpful staff !! What's not to like ?!
    Visited July 2023
    Written 24 July 2023
  • Russ855
    Palm Springs, California461 contributions
    4.0 of 5 bubbles
    A small but interesting museum
    I wish we had spent more time here than on the bus tour we took. It is a small museum with local arctic history based on artifacts. They have just about every animal and bird stuffed so you can see what you missed in the wild! Unfortunately, not all the interpretation is given in English as well. This is probably the highlight of Svalbard besides seeing the harsh landscape of the permafrost tundra.
    Visited July 2023
    Written 24 July 2023
  • Laia Soler
    Longyearbyen, Norway8 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Solo visit
    Noce visit to learn about the history, peoples lives back in the day were coal mining was the main activity. It also has a lot of tools and a walk through a cabin. It was a nice and informative afternoon. Not too crowded when I visited.
    Visited March 2023
    Travelled solo
    Written 9 August 2023
These reviews are the subjective opinion of Tripadvisor members and not of TripAdvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.

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4.5
4.5 of 5 bubbles1,365 reviews
Excellent
744
Very good
491
Average
118
Poor
10
Terrible
2

Y K
Leicester, UK48 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Feb 2024 • Couples
A great museum explaining how such a fascinating place came to be
We spent a couple of hours engrossed in the time lines and working through the history of Svalbad
Written 22 February 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Georgie W
4 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Sept 2023 • Solo
An absolutely fantastic museum with great information covering all aspects of Svalbard's history. The lay out itself is really interesting with a great flow - they've really utilised the space so well.
Written 30 September 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Teresa
Stockholm, Sweden23 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Sept 2023 • Friends
Very interesting and smart museum. We learned a lot and where highly entertained during our visit. Friendly staff and an overall very enjoyable experience.
Written 3 September 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

GapYrCol
Colorado Springs, CO73 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Aug 2023 • Solo
This was an awesome intro on the local area, way of life, exploration throughout Svalbard, political amd cultural history, some of the local people and what's happening today (temporary democracy exhibit). There are displays on the hunting, mining, and now tourism industries and impacts. I spwnt well over 2 hours at the museum and could easily have spent more. You do have to contend a little with cruise ship passengers depedong on your timing (I was there during the shoulder season). The museum is located at the university building which is great and very walkeable from any point in town. A must do if you have time in the local area.
Written 3 September 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Scott T
Cave Junction, OR6 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Aug 2023 • Couples
This museum is presented very nicely and is worth a look. You can learn a great deal about the fascinating history of Svalbard and get a good look at its natural inhabitants too.
Written 23 August 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Laia Soler
Longyearbyen, Norway8 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Mar 2023 • Solo
Noce visit to learn about the history, peoples lives back in the day were coal mining was the main activity. It also has a lot of tools and a walk through a cabin.
It was a nice and informative afternoon.
Not too crowded when I visited.
Written 9 August 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

2016Annette13
Baden, Switzerland160 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Jul 2023
A very good, beautifully made museum, that teaches and explains a lot about expeditions and life in this polar region.
Written 7 August 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

D P
Wellington, New Zealand6,695 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Jul 2023 • Couples
It’s a bit pricey to look around but they did have a lot of cool things to look at and the exhibits are beautifully laid out.
Lots of books and a nice gift section for you too check out afterwards.
Written 26 July 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Russ855
Palm Springs, CA461 contributions
4.0 of 5 bubbles
Jul 2023
I wish we had spent more time here than on the bus tour we took. It is a small museum with local arctic history based on artifacts. They have just about every animal and bird stuffed so you can see what you missed in the wild! Unfortunately, not all the interpretation is given in English as well. This is probably the highlight of Svalbard besides seeing the harsh landscape of the permafrost tundra.
Written 24 July 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Dianne L
3 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Jul 2023
Very much enjoyed this dedicated museum housing a vast array of exhibits including plenty I haven't seen before - many of which taught me something new. Hugely interesting tales of local people and their struggles. And not least - a very small charge for entrance to the shop and museum plus - extremely friendly and helpful staff !! What's not to like ?!
Written 24 July 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

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SVALBARD MUSEUM: All You Need to Know BEFORE You Go (with Photos)

Frequently Asked Questions about Svalbard Museum

Svalbard Museum is open:
  • Sun - Sat 10:00 - 17:00