Naturhistorisk Museum: A paleo-party: dinosaurs arrive at Oslo’s natural history museum

Get ready to travel back in time – 74 million years to be exact – because two new dinosaurs are stomping their way into Oslo’s Natural History Museum! Nestled in the heart of Tøyen, this museum is already a treasure trove of fossils, dazzling crystals, and ancient mysteries. With the arrival of two real dinosaur skeletons, there’s never been a better time to visit the museum.

Naturhistorisk Museum, or the Natural History Museum in Oslo, is one of Norway’s most cherished cultural and scientific institutions. Located within the beautiful surroundings of the Botanical Garden, the museum offers a remarkable journey through the Earth’s history, focusing on geology, palaeontology, climate change and botany.

“As part of the University of Oslo, we serve as both an academic institution and a museum with objects that date back millions of years,” explains Jørn Hurum, professor of palaeontology. “What’s on display is only a fraction of our vast collection, which we’re always working to expand.”

Founded in 1811 as part of the University of Oslo, the museum’s collections even predate the University. For example, its geological collections date back to 1757, originally from the Mining Academy in Kongsberg. Furthermore, the museum’s researchers regularly travel to locations like Svalbard to unearth fossils, expanding the collection and knowledge of prehistoric life.

Zara and Zelda take on Oslo

For dino devotees, the Natural History Museum just became a lot more exciting with the addition of two new dinosaur skeletons, which were unveiled to the public at the end of September. These two hypracosaurs, plant-eating dinosaurs from the hadrosaur family, were discovered together in the Blackfeet Indian Reservation in North America.

“The larger specimen, a fully-grown adult of 7.5 metres long, is accompanied by a smaller, younger individual measuring 3.5 metres. These dinosaurs, Zara and Zelda, are both around 74 million years old, and offer the museum an opportunity to delve into the growth and family dynamics of these fascinating creatures,” says Hurum.

The discovery of the two dinosaurs together is significant, as it allows researchers to study their development stages from juvenile to adult. This also opens a window into their behaviours, including nest-building and care for their young—a subject that has intrigued scientists for years. Purchased by Sparebankstiftelsen DNB, the dinosaurs Zara and Zelda have been indefinitely loaned to the museum, ensuring that generations of visitors will have the chance to marvel at the prehistoric giants for generations to come.

“While we have the head of a Triceratops, this is the first time not just one, but two complete dinosaur skeletons will be exhibited in Norway,” says Hurum. “It’s an incredibly exciting thing, and we hope it’ll encourage more people to come learn more about the dinosaurs.

“Dinosaurs are far from just static exhibits, but rather a wonderful gateway for educating people about life, history, evolution, and of course, humans,” he explains. They serve as conversation starters, sparking questions that range from the dinosaurs’ familial behaviour to comparisons with modern animals like crocodiles and birds. By drawing these connections, the museum aims to make Earth’s long and complex history more relatable and understandable.

Learn about the past, present and future

And while you’re at the museum, learning all about Zara and Zelda and their lives, why not check out the rest of the Geology exhibits? A newly transformed space, the Geology Museum spans four floors and boasts some of the finest crystal formations, fossils, and skeletal displays from around the world. This was one of the reasons why the museum was voted Museum of the Year in Norway in 2023.

If you are interested in dinosaurs, geology, or Norwegian natural history, Oslo’s Natural History Museum is a must-visit destination to learn about our planet’s past, present, and future. With the addition of the new dinosaur exhibits and ongoing research initiatives, the museum continues to be a fun space of education and activity for people of all ages.

Photo: Zoic srl- Trieste

Visit the Natural History Museum in Oslo!
Naturhistorisk Museum, Sars’ gate 1, 0562 Oslo, Norway

www.nhm.uio.no
Facebook: Naturhistorisk museum, Oslo
Instagram: @naturhistorisk_museum_oslo

How to get there by public transport:
All metros to Tøyen or Bus 20 to Tøyenparken.