The famous phrase of the famous Norwegian writer Roald Dahl «every Norwegian has at least one boat» perfectly describes the relationship of Norwegians with the sea. The whole history of Norway is connected with the sea by a strong sea knot. Fishing, shipbuilding, and navigation have long been part of the life of the Norwegian people. It is colorfully described by the exhibitions of the Norwegian Maritime Museum. Two spacious museum buildings on the picturesque Bygdø Peninsula first opened their doors in 1914. Since then, they have won the hearts of all guests of the Norwegian capital of Oslo. There you can learn the history of Norwegian shipbuilding, see models of old boats that date back to 1915. For example, there is the three-masted schooner «Svanen» which served in the Norwegian merchant navy during those years. Explore the legendary ship «Stavanger» which was designed by the famous naval architect Colin Archer for the society of marine rescuers. There is also the oldest Norwegian ship that has survived up to our time. It is more than two thousand years old. No less interesting is the collection of individual parts of the ship including fantastic bow figureheads that once served as an ornament of ancient ships. Exact copies of the captain's cabins and forecastle, galleys and sailors' cabins give an excellent idea of the life of seafarers of the past and present. So every visitor of the museum can feel like a brave sea dog there. Another exhibition is closely related to the fishing industry that has accompanied the life of every Norwegian since ancient times. Old fishing nets and tackle, bundles of real dried fish – the whole museum is literally saturated with fish smells. It creates a unique atmosphere of giant fishing vessels. Not to mention the popular whaling, which played a significant role in the prosperity of the whole country. The Norwegian Maritime Museum also has a small collection of marine-themed paintings. Forty paintings of seascapes by Norwegian artists of the 19-20th centuries perfectly complement the old museum exhibits.