Akershus Fortress: Free Grounds, Museum Tickets & Oslo Pass
1.5 - 3 h (grounds plus one or more museums)
Medieval Fortress, Royal Castle & Military Museums
Fortress founded c. 1299; rebuilt as a Renaissance royal residence 1637-1648
Akershus Festning, 0150 Oslo, Norway
Planning to visit Akershus Fortress (Akershus Festning)?
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Practical Visitor Info & Tips
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Armed Forces Museum: 110 kr (senior/student), 80 kr (ages 6-17), free ages 0-5. Akershus Castle: free under 18. Combined ticket (Castle + Armed Forces Museum + Resistance Museum): 300 kr (Adult).
Fortress grounds (main gate): daily 06:00-21:00, year-round. Akershus Castle and the on-site museums keep shorter, seasonal hours — generally daily in summer (mid-June to August) and a reduced, weekends-focused schedule the rest of the year; confirm same-day hours for each museum before visiting.
No advance booking for the grounds or the museums; tickets sold on-site at each museum entrance. Fortress remains an active military area, so some areas can close without notice.
Free access to the fortress ramparts, courtyards, and harbor-view grounds (main gate open daily 06:00-21:00). Akershus Castle staterooms and Royal Mausoleum, the Armed Forces Museum (Forsvarsmuseet), and Norway's Resistance Museum (Norges Hjemmefrontmuseum) are each separately ticketed sites within the same grounds.
| Option | Price | Booking | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fortress grounds | Free | None — open daily 06:00-21:00 | |
| Akershus Castle, Adult | 150 kr | On-site | |
| Armed Forces Museum, Adult | 160 kr | On-site | |
| Combined ticket (Castle + both museums) | 300 kr | On-site | |
| With Oslo Pass | Included | Castle, Armed Forces Museum and Resistance Museum all confirmed included |
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Ticket Options
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Check whether a city pass already covers this attraction before buying separately.
See pass compatibility below ↓Overview & History
Akershus Fortress is a medieval castle and fortress complex on Oslo's harbor, founded around 1299 to defend and rule the city, and never successfully taken by siege. King Christian IV rebuilt it into a Renaissance royal residence in the 17th century, and it remains an active military area alongside its role as a museum and public monument. The open fortress grounds — ramparts, courtyards, and harbor views — are free to walk at any time, while Akershus Castle's staterooms, the Royal Mausoleum, the Armed Forces Museum (Forsvarsmuseet), and Norway's Resistance Museum (Norges Hjemmefrontmuseum) are separately ticketed sites within the same grounds.
What to See: Top Highlights
Akershus Castle Staterooms
The Renaissance castle's restored halls, chapel, and the Royal Mausoleum, where several Norwegian monarchs are interred, reached via a separate ticketed entrance.
The Armed Forces Museum
Norway's national military history museum, covering the country's armed forces from the Viking Age through modern peacekeeping, inside the fortress grounds.
Norway's Resistance Museum
A museum on the German occupation of Norway (1940-1945) and the Norwegian resistance movement, built directly into the fortress's old ammunition building.
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Is Akershus Fortress Included on the Oslo Pass?
Compare Oslo PassesThe fortress grounds never need a pass — they're free at all times. Akershus Castle, the Armed Forces Museum, and Norway's Resistance Museum are each confirmed free with the Oslo Pass.
Oslo Pass
Included. The fortress grounds are always free regardless of any pass. Akershus Castle, the Armed Forces Museum, and Norway's Resistance Museum — the paid sites within the grounds — are each confirmed free with the Oslo Pass.
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Frequently Asked Questions
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Is there a combined ticket for the fortress's museums?
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