Akershus Fortress opening hours
1. The grounds
You walk in. Nobody sells you anything. The gates are the only thing that limits you, and they run to a published schedule.
| Gate | Season | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Main gate | All year | 06:00–21:00 daily |
| Side gates | 1 May – 30 September | 07:00–21:00 Mon–Fri 08:00–21:00 Sat & Sun |
| Side gates | 1 October – 30 April | 07:00–18:00 daily |
The main gate is the reliable one. Between 1 October and 30 April the side gates close at 18:00, which in Oslo is well after dark, and people walking up from the harbour at dusk are the ones who find this out. If you are coming late, come through the main entrance at Kirkegata — the routes are on how to get there.
2. The museums
Both museums are open and both are ticketed. A combined ticket covering all three museums is sold at the visitor centre, the long red building by Karpedammen.
| Place | Season | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Norway’s Resistance Museum | 1 June – 31 August | Daily 10:00–17:00 |
| Norway’s Resistance Museum | 11 Sept 2026 – 30 April 2027 | Daily 10:00–16:00 |
| Norwegian Armed Forces Museum | 1 May – 31 August | Daily 10:00–17:00 |
| Norwegian Armed Forces Museum | 1 September – 23 December | Daily 10:00–16:00 |
| Visitor centre, Karpedammen | May – August | Daily 10:00–17:00 |
| Visitor centre, Karpedammen | September – April | Daily 10:00–16:00 |
The Armed Forces Museum has not closed and has not moved, whatever a few travel pages still say. It was renamed and restructured under Forsvarshistorisk museum on 1 January 2025 and it is in the same arsenal building it has occupied since 1860. The Resistance Museum is free with the Oslo Pass; I could not verify whether the Armed Forces Museum is, so I will not tell you either way. More on the Resistance Museum is on its own page.
3. The castle, the chapel and the mausoleum
Akershus Castle, the castle chapel and the Royal Mausoleum are closed to all visitors until further notice, following the death of King Harald V on 28 August 2026. No reopening date has been published. The grounds and both museums reopened on 11 September 2026. The castle did not. For when it does, the normal season hours run May–August Mon–Sat 10:00–16:00 and Sun 12:00–16:00, September–April Sat–Sun 12:00–17:00 — sources disagree on the detail, so check before you travel. There is more about the building on the castle page.
Official guided tours of the fortress
The museum runs guided walks of the fortress at weekends, about 55 minutes: Saturdays and Sundays at 11:00 and 14:00 in English, 13:00 and 15:00 in Norwegian. They are not run by us and they are not included in the Oslo Pass. With the castle shut I would confirm on the day at the visitor centre rather than turn up and hope. If you want a fixed departure you can book in advance instead, the guided walking tours cover the fortress as part of a wider Oslo route.
Why some doors never open
Akershus is a working military headquarters. The Armed Forces, the Ministry of Defence and the Prime Minister’s office all sit inside the walls. That is the reason the gates have hours at all, why drones are banned outright, and why organised photography needs prior approval from the commandant’s office. When you walk past a closed door on the grounds, it is usually not closed today — it was never open to visitors.
What works
- Grounds free and open 06:00–21:00 every day of the year
- Both museums open, with a combined ticket at the visitor centre
- The main gate at Kirkegata keeps the same hours all year
Worth knowing
- Castle, chapel and mausoleum closed until further notice
- Winter side gates shut at 18:00, hours before the main gate
- Official weekend tours are not covered by the Oslo Pass
If you have one afternoon in Oslo
The fortress is free and you can do it on your own. What a walking tour buys is the order of things — which wall belongs to Håkon V, which to Christian IV, and why the city sits below rather than around it. The two-hour walk below takes in the fortress as part of central Oslo.
Frequently asked questions
What time does Akershus Fortress close?
The main gate closes at 21:00 every day of the year. The side gates close at 21:00 between 1 May and 30 September and at 18:00 between 1 October and 30 April. Plan around the main gate if you are staying late.
Is Akershus Fortress open on Sundays?
Yes. The grounds are open every day of the year, Sundays included, and cost nothing. In summer the side gates open at 08:00 at weekends rather than 07:00. The museums are also open daily within their seasons.
Is Akershus Castle open to visitors?
No. The castle, the castle chapel and the Royal Mausoleum are closed to all visitors until further notice. The grounds around them are open and free, and Norway’s Resistance Museum is open and ticketed — see is it worth visiting for what that leaves you.
Do I need to book a time slot for the fortress grounds?
No. There is no ticket, no booking and no time slot for the grounds. You walk in through the gate. Only the museums and the official guided tours are ticketed — the is it free page sets out what costs money.