Fornebu: Art, Nature and Beach Between Airport History

Fornebu brings together a range of reasons to visit: contemporary art, the history of the airport, natural areas and a Blue Flag beach. You can shape your visit in different ways—to focus on museums and architecture, trails in nature or time by the water. For families and other travel groups, these themes provide a good basis for finding shared interests, without every activity having to be the same kind of outing.

Art, Culture and the History of Fornebu

Bærum Kunsthall, on the Flytårnet site, is an exhibition venue for national and international contemporary art. Art lovers will also find other points of interest on Fornebu: Magne Furuholmen’s artwork “Imprints” is installed outside the Aker building. Modern architecture and art can also be found in the parks, between the buildings, and on the Telenor and Equinor buildings.

The Fornebuhistorisk museum tells the story of Fornebu’s development through chronologically arranged pictures and posters. The period covered runs from construction work at the airport to its closure. The museum therefore focuses on how the area has changed, while the art gallery showcases contemporary art. If you want to include culture and local history in your travel plans, you can treat these as two distinct themes for your itinerary.

Flytårnet Fornebu is a cultural venue with a varied programme and activities throughout the year. The Fornebu Bilmuseum is also located on the Flytårnet site. K-FO runs art-related courses, professional evenings, workshops and talks at Flytårnet for members and anyone interested. Fornebu is also home to a unique scooter museum, housed together with Kultur på Hjul. The cultural offering therefore ranges from exhibitions and events to museums covering different subjects.

Beach, Nature Trails and Winter

Storøyodden beach is at the far end of Storøya on Fornebu and has been awarded Blue Flag status. Cycling is the best way to get there. You can also reach the beach by bus, followed by a short walk. The nearest stop is Fornebu vest. If you choose Storøyodden as a focus for your stay, you can take these travel options into account when planning your days.

Storøykilen offers a different side of nature: it is one of the most species-rich natural areas in Bærum. A path runs through the nature reserve and remains open to walkers. If you would rather plan a longer circular route, you can follow the Kyststien Forneburunden: it runs from Lysaker station around the Fornebu peninsula and back to Lysaker. Along the small paths on the route, walkers can see seaplanes moored at jetties by the water. It is a distinctive sight that makes the walk more than just a nature experience.

The season can also influence your choice of activities. In winters with plenty of snow, cross-country ski trails are prepared in Nansenparken. Cross-country skiing is therefore another option in snowy winters, while Storøyodden, Storøykilen and the Kyststien Forneburunden offer different ways to spend your time. When choosing a holiday apartment or holiday house in Fornebu, you can start by asking which side of the area matters most for your trip: art and history, the beach, walks or—if there is plenty of snow—cross-country skiing.

More places to discover: Sandvika, Snarøya, Høvik, Haslum, Lysaker, Stabekk.

Back to the main travel guide: Bærum.