On July 21, 1893, the Fram ship set sail on a fantastic journey from the northern Norwegian town of Vardø. Its captain was one of the most colorful personalities of Europe from the late 19th and early 20th centuries – Fridtjof Nansen. He was a scientist, explorer, seafarer and skier, an incorrigible adventurer and winner of the Nobel Peace Prize. His fate is also connected to my country Bulgaria, through the introduction of the so-called Nansen passport, giving refugees the right to travel freely (back in the early 20th century). Mr. Nansen is also the main character of the Fram Museum in Oslo.
The museum tells the story of polar exploration, with the Fram itself at the center of events (that is, the exhibition). Even the fact that the vessel managed to return to its native Norway so that we can admire it today seemed impossible to most involved back in 1893. However, Fridtjof planned everything very carefully – in addition to products for a healthy diet, there was a library with 600 volumes on board, various games, a semi-automatic organ with over 100 melodies and even a real piano.
The crew consisted of 13 men, selected among thousands of applicants, and 30 dogs. The goal was to gather scientific knowledge about this unexplored part of the world, the most important of which was whether there really was an east-west Arctic current. The approach chosen by our captain was to sail north-northeast as far as he could, then to drive the ship into the ice and sit there for a year or two to see if and where it would move. No sooner said than done; Fram began her long ice drift on September 22, 1893.
On March 14, 1895, Nansen and another crew member decided to set off on a sledge trip in search of the North Pole. They reached their farthest point on April 9 and were forced to turn back, but unfortunately they missed the rendezvous with the ship. It is hard to believe that the story has a happy ending after all. The two pole seekers spent the winter in a crude hut in Franz Josef Land and the following spring set off across the Bering Sea in kayaks. By some sheer luck, they were rescued by a British ship, so that today we can see the kayaks on display in the Fram Museum.
Nansen and his companion returned to Norway on August 13, 1896, just a week before the Fram itself, which had meanwhile been carried west by the drifting ice. A second expedition with the ship followed, 1898-1902, this time with the participation of more scientists. At this point, it was believed that the Fram had outlived its usefulness and there was even talk of turning it into a museum. Here another acquaintance of ours appeared on the scene, Mr. Roald Amundsen, who had completely different plans. The old boat was dusted off and the first Swedish 4-cylinder diesel engine was installed.
The new things didn’t stop there. While Amundsen was preparing the ship for the North Pole, reports came that other explorers had already reached it. Therefore, after setting off in complete secrecy in 1910, the command staff was given a new goal – the South Pole. This is how, after the world record for the farthest reach north in 1895, Fram also set a record for the farthest reach south. The Norwegian team was the first to set foot on the pole, although not until the end of the following year, and the heroic ship returned home in 1914.
The museum displays only a few of the many photographs from the expeditions, as well as some of the collected scientific material and personal belongings of the explorers. The ship Gjoa, on which Amundsen conducted his first polar expedition in 1903-1906, is also on display. The settlement of Gjoa Haven in Canada was named after the group of enterprising Norwegian sailors. You can board the ship and even go down into the hold, but don’t even think about using the deck toilet.
The last expeditions that the Fram Museum tells about were not at sea but in the air. The main character is still Mr. Amundsen, who had already passed his 50th birthday. In 1925, he flew to the North Pole with five other explorers, distributed in two planes – N24 and N25. One of the planes was irreparably damaged, and it took the six men almost 4 weeks to manage to make a runway in the ice for the survivor to take off, with which they could get to Svalbard. And believe it or not, a ship was passing nearby, which took them to Norway. Fate really does favor the brave.
The museum offers many interactive experiences for visitors. The sight and sound of the ship’s deck as it sails through polar waters. The roar of the ship’s engine. Educational games to learn the names of the different ship’s sails or commands. The two simulators are the most popular. One puts you on the swaying deck of the Fram, pushed by an icy wet wind, and the other – on the wing of the N25 during its maiden flight, emergency landing, repairs and re-launch. They are definitely worth it.
More about Oslo – here.
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