Walks+Talks: Botanical Garden

The Botanical Garden was established at Tøyen in 1814. It is part of The Museum of Natural History, Oslo University.

The development of a botanical garden was part of a nation-building process in the first part of the 1800’s. The natural sciences held a strong position, botany was seen as important in the improvement of agriculture and gardening. Important objectives for The Botanical Garden have always been the use and promotion of research and education at the university. At the same time, through all its years, the garden has been a valuable green oasis for people in the city, a place to enjoy beauty and quiet and a place to learn about plant life, in Norway and in the world. The garden is a living museum and an important part of our cultural history.

Saving biodiversity – both threatened plants in the Norwegian nature and old garden plants – is an important task. The garden has 800.000 visitors a year, and as such is an important place for valuable experiences in Oslo.

Inside the garden, there are several large museum buildings for The Museum of Natural History, covering the fields of geology, zoology, botany and mycology. In addition, we are building a new Climate House, a place for research-based exhibitions and for meetings and debates. Here, we will inspire curiosity, impart knowledge and give a foundation for action and change concerning the gravest challenges of our time – climate change.