Nike Air Force high Oslo's Ski Jump and Museum

Yes, it's mid-summer. But that doesn't stop people arriving by the bus load or subway carful.
Among the highlights: a 4,000-year-old pictograph from R?d?y in Nordland, clearly showing a figure on skis; exhibits depicting Fridjof Nansen's and Raold Amundsen's polar expeditions, and an accompanying exhibit, complete with video, showing modern-day arctic and Antarctic explorations; and the world's oldest ski, which dates back some 600 years.
The Oslo T-bane train negotiates the outdoor track's switchbacks, moving ever-so-slowly into the steep hills behind the city. Eventually, it reaches the Holmenkollen stop. From there, one continues up the steep grade on foot. In ten minutes, suddenly the gigantic ramp appears.
Back in town, we visit the Fram Museum. There [link widoczny dla zalogowanych], Nansen's purpose-built arctic exploration ship - the Fram - is displayed. On the lowest deck, the ship's basement, as it were, a collection of antique stand against a wall - just like mine stand in my garage - as if waiting to be wax
This is the Homlenkollen ski jump and the Skimuseet, Norway's national ski museum.
Exploring ski history isn't limited to Oslo. The U.S. holds a fine collection of ski museums. European museums are abundant [link widoczny dla zalogowanych], as well. And, even more can be found around the world.
Among the reasons they arrive? Some come simply to gawk. Others, like me, come to pay homage. The remarkable view offers reason enough. Ride the elevator and climb the 100 steps to the top of the jump tower, and an unmatched panorama of Oslo and its fjord spread out below.
Only in Oslo.
Nansen, of course, is a Norwegian hero. A Nobel Peace Prize winner in 1922, he was influential in creating the country's emancipation from Sweden in 1905. For we foreigners who love to snowslide, his cross-Greenland exploration on skis may be more important. It began the sport's popularization.
Still, it's summertime [link widoczny dla zalogowanych], and most of today's visitors have come to see the museum.
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Me? I was most fascinated by three displays. One is a series of lavishly decorated antique skis, including skis once used only for Sunday church-going. The second is a display showing military skis circa 1800 at which time soldiers used one long and one short ski. And, the third shows a handful of homemade snowboards, created by Norwegian kids before commercially made boards were available in their country.
Skiing and Norway are synonymous. Where else can you get to the slopes by subway? Or, ride the underground to one of skiing's most celebrated sites?
The Oslo Ski Museet was the world's first ski museum. Set at the base of the jump tower, it's built inside the mountain. Inside one comes face to face with the face of skiing, from its presumed inception more than 4,000 years ago to its most modern elements.
In winter, of course, people come to watch ski jumpers in action. In fact, competitions have been held here since 1892. "We host the World Cup every year," Linn says. "Its called 'Holmenkollen Sunday,' and it's considered the second 'national' day in Norway after May 17, our Constitution Day." Crowds average 35,000 people; the biggest turnout was 120,000 at the 1952 Olympics.
But, people do more than watch skiers here. The site holds more than 200-K of Nordic ski trails and, just a few more T-bahn stops further uphill, there's access to a small alpine ski area. Locals come to ski day and night. Says Linn, "This forest is like a second home for Oslo people. It's very popular to come up here."
"Holmenkollen is the most visited tourist site in Norway," Linn Blekkerud, the installation's press relations guru, informed me. "We get between seven hundred and eight hundred thousand visitors every year."

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