Top Ten Things to Do in Oslo for Booklovers

Are you planning a trip to Oslo, or are you an Oslo’er on the lookout for the best book nook in the city? Are you wondering where in the capital you can go to enjoy great literature? Look no further, we know where to find the perfect booklover activities in Oslo!

Our first recommendation for things to do in Oslo has to be Oslo’s pride and joy: Deichman Bjørvika. The library is an Oslo must see. Deichman Bjørvika opened for the first time in 2020 and is Oslo’s main public library. The building itself is a work of architectural art, with big, bright windows, light installations, artwork and design in beautiful harmony. You can play around on no less than six floors of literature, reading- and study spots, movie theatres, event stages and workspaces for young and old.

In addition to housing over 450 000 books, Deichman Bjørvika also has a multitude of workspaces - musical instruments and sound studios, sewing machines, 3D printers, conference rooms and more, and everything is free to rent with a library card.

At the library’s first floor, you’ll find Centropa Café and Restaurant, a great spot to grab a bite to eat or something to drink. You may also bring your own lunch and enjoy it at Kringsjå - an impressive seating area between the 4th and 5th floor, with a view over Oslofjorden and the beautiful Opera. 

Deichman Bjørvika was named the World’s Best Public Library by the International Federation of Library Associations and Instructions (IFLA) in 2021, and is no doubt a staple for any culture- and literature lovers visiting Oslo.

You can't visit Oslo without having a look inside of Norlis flagship Norli Universitetsgata.

1890 was a big year for Norwegian literature: Knut Hamsun’s Hunger (Sult) was published, Ibsen’s Hedda Gabler was released, and Olaf Norli opened his very first Norli bookstore in Universitetsgata in Oslo. These facilities have a long history and photos from earlier years adorn the walls and allow you insight to the bookshop’s extensive history. 

Norli Universitetsgata is rich in atmosphere and has an impressive selection of books. You’ll find fiction, history, biographies and art books to suit any interest, as well as a big nonfiction department on the second floor, attracting students to the bookstore for decades. You can also find an extensive collection of English literature, as well as literature in Danish, Swedish, German, French and Italian. The store is connected to Norli Paleet via a short walkway.

A brand new addition to Norli Universitetsgata is Café Olaf. The cerulean salon can be found on the second floor. Here, you can grab a chair and read your newly bought books! You can often find author signings here, so you might just meet a new favourite when visiting.

When Joachim Trier was scouting locations for “The Worst Person in the World”, the doubly Oscar-nominated movie in 2022, Norli Universitetsgata was an impeccable match. This place serves bookstore and prize-winning movie location all at once!

When the Norwegian phone booths were put out of ser, another, quite unique, project was born. Many of the classic, red boxes have regrettably disappeared, but around a hundred of them have gotten a makeover: the reading kiosks. If you stumble upon a phone booth in the streets of Oslo, we suggest you pop your head in. You will no longer find a phone accepting coins and calls, but rather a library in miniature. These reading kiosks are stocked by Oslo citizens themselves, with the help from the public libraries and Sparebankstiftelsen DNB (a financial support organisation from the Bank of Norway). 

In these phone booths, you may leave books you want to pass on to a new reader, while also picking up a book or two that someone else has left behind - completely free of charge. If you are looking for things to do in Oslo alone, a trip to a reading kiosk might be just the thing. These tiny treasure chambers are scattered around the city and can be found in Frognerparken, on Bislett, in Rådhusgata, by Folkemuseet and on Sagene, just to mention a few.

The House of Literature, or Litteraturhuset, is the Norwegian book industry’s home away from home. This is a perfect place to go if you are on the lookout for things to do in Oslo on a Sunday. If you are lucky, you might just catch a glimpse of one or two of Norway's famous writers, in addition to editors, publishers, journalists and literary scholars. At Kafe Oslo, Litteraturhuset’s café and restaurant, you can get both food and drink.

Right inside Litteraturhuset's main entrance, you’ll find a wonderful bookstore. Norli Litteraturhuset has a wide selection of books for anyone who is extra interested in literature. They always make sure to have the classics available, from Ibsen to Proust - as well as offering unique titles for the literature enthusiast. Store manager Stian tells us that Norli Litteraturhuset is interested in curating their own profile, catering to the visitors at Litteraturhuset, while at the same time inspiring curiosity around titles you may never have heard of before. Every Sunday, the bookstore hosts the event ‘Saklig søndag’, or ‘Factual Sunday’, where new Norwegian nonfiction is presented by the authors themselves. The bookstore is open on Sundays.

The House of Literature has multiple stages where literary events take place, as well as a myriad of different festivals. Regardless of when you’re visiting, you are almost guaranteed to find an event or two. Tickets to the events can be bought on Litteraturhuset’s website.

Rumor has it that there hasn't been an all-English language bookshop in Oslo since the 1980s, but Prismatic Pages finally filled that niche in 2023. Sitting on the cozy Grünerløkka street of Rathkes gate, this shop boasts a curated collection of books in almost every genre.

Modeled off of indie bookshops of the Pacific Northwest, where the owner is from, Prismatic Pages shelves used and new books side by side, making it a treasure trove for both vintage hunters and readers who want the hottest recent releases. The staff are passionate about giving recommendations and chatting about everything literary, and customers are encouraged to sit on the comfy sofa or chairs and make themselves at home like it's the living room of a friend.

The shop is also known for its variety of events, from book signings and launches by authors like Adrian Tchaikovsky and Oisín McKenna, to art workshops, concerts, and even speed dating! After hours the space is transformed into something new 1-2 times a week.

Book lovers can also take advantage of the fact that Rathkes gate boasts four bookstores in total! Svovel is right next door, Norway's only children's bookstore. Down the street is Schous Bøker, featuring mostly used books in Norwegian, and around the corner is Fotoboka, Norway's only bookshop dedicated to photo books.

Foto: Marco Heyda

The children’s library at Tøyen, Biblo Tøyen, is almost a fantasy universe - for children only. Only children between the ages of 10 and 15 are allowed to enter. When you arrive, you hang your clothes on a big moose. The bookshelves hang from rails from the roof, and the different sections can easily be moved around. You may snuggle up in a real ski gondola and settle down with books, homework or a board game. Biblo is about books, but also about creating, making and participating. You can get food served from a repurposed truck, before getting comfortable with a book on the sofa in the truck’s hood. In the Nautilus-department you can imagine yourself on the bottom of the ocean. Biblo Tøyen is actually so cool, it was named one the 50 World’s Coolest Places for families in 2019 by Time Magazine!

Fortunately for the adults, Tøyen library is right around the corner, where adults also have access. You may settle down here with a good book whilst the children are playing at Biblo Tøyen. You could also stop by Postkontoret, or the Post Office, a gem at Tøyen Torg where the local post office has been remade into a café and restaurant. The adults may enjoy a glass of wine, the kids a soda, while sharing a pizza after a successful library visit.

A stone’s throw away from Norli’s flagship store in Universitetsgata, you find another book-gem: Tronsmo Bookstore. Tronsmo has been a staple in Oslo’s cultural arenas since they opened in 1973. There was an uproar when their old facilities had to be torn down a couple of years back, but fortunately, Tronsmo was reborn in full glory right around the corner. At Tronsmo you’ll find children’s and teen’s literature, cookbooks and artbooks, nonfiction, history, biographies and philosophy - and when you descend the stairs in the middle of the store, you’ll find their very own comics department.

In addition to books, Tronsmo also offers a variety of fetching book- and culture merch - anything from buttons and fridge magnets to vinyl records and tote bags. You could also happen across a book signing if you’re lucky. The employees all share a true love for literature, and a friendly chat is always welcome. Writers such as Allan Ginsburg and Neil Gaiman have claimed Tronsmo to be one of the best bookstores in the world. In 2021, Tronsmo was even named one of the world’s top 20 bookstores by the Financial Times.