The Armed Forces Museum of Norway (
Norwegian: ''Forsvarsmuseet - The Defence Museum'') is located at
Akershus Castle (Building 62) in
Oslo,
Norway. Previously it was named Hærmuseet, ''The Army Museum'' (even earlier the Artillery Museum), therefore, the museum consists of mostly army materiel. The Armed Forces Museum is the main museum sorting under the Norwegian Armed Forces Museum superstructure.
The museum's history and focus
The museum was created in 1946 when two former military museums were merged, the
Artillery Museum (established in 1860) and the
Intendant
An intendant (; pt, intendente ; es, intendente ) was, and sometimes still is, a public official, especially in France, Spain, Portugal, and Latin America. The intendancy system was a centralizing administrative system developed in France. In ...
Museum (created in 1928), under the name Hærmuséet. At first the museum was open only to military personnel, but was opened to the public in 1978 by
King Olav V under the name of the Armed Forces Museum. The museum is located inside the Castle Square, in one of the old military
arsenal
An arsenal is a place where arms and ammunition are made, maintained and repaired, stored, or issued, in any combination, whether privately or publicly owned. Arsenal and armoury (British English) or armory (American English) are mostly ...
s from the 1860s. The main purpose of the museum is to show the Norwegian military history from the
Viking Age to the present, and the museum consists of six departments:
*The ancient times, military history from the Viking era to 1814.
*1814 – 1905, military history from 1814 to 1905.
*1905 – 1940, military history from 1905 to 1940.
*1940, military history from 1940 to 1945, focusing on the land battles of
World War II.
*Naval battles, military history from 1940 to 1945, focusing on naval battles of World War II.
*After the war, military history from 1945 to present.
In addition, there are periods of special exhibitions.
In addition to promoting Norwegian military history (especially for school groups), the museum's mission is to be the main military museum.
See also
*
Norway's Resistance Museum
*
Royal Norwegian Navy Museum
*
Norwegian Armed Forces Aircraft Collection
External links
The Defence Museum - official site
The Armed Forces Museumwww.visitnorway.com
{{Authority control
Museums in Oslo
Military and war museums in Norway
Museums established in 1946
1946 establishments in Norway
Museums established in 1978
1978 establishments in Norway