Longyearbyen

Spitsbergen, Svalbard, Norway
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ABOVE: Modern houses in Longyearbyen, with a school-bus stop in the foreground.

Sights and excursions

Museums

The Svalbard Museum, formerly housed in a converted pig barn, moved into the new Svalbard Science Center in April, 2006. Its building, which is also home to the Norwegian Polar Institute and the University Centre in Svalbard, is located just below Longyearbyen's business district and the Radisson SAS Polar Hotel Spitsbergen.

The Svalbard Museum uses traditional exhibits, reconstructed environments, and videos to present 400 years of Svalbard history and culture. An hour's visit will teach you about whaling, trapping, coal mining, wild animals, geology, and other aspects of Svalbard life. And don't worry about being bored: The new museum was designed to be engaging, not soporific. (It also has a decent gift shop.)

Excursions

sign Longyearbyen is the starting point for adventure and expedition travel in Svalbard. Wilderness travel is by permit only, and you'll need to visit the governor's office (where you may be required to show proof of insurance and a bank guarantee to cover rescue expenses) before heading into the boondocks on your own. For convenience and safety, most visitors use the services of local outfitters.

Outfitters in Longyearbyen include:

Basecamp Explorer - Trips include winter and spring expeditions to a schooner that's frozen into the ice at Tempelfjorden.
Poli Arctici - A range of trips in Spitsbergen, plus logistical support for science expeditions and TV or film crews.
Svalbard Villmarkssenter - Short and long dogsled trips (on wheels in summer), overnight stays at a trapper's hut, and--in winter only--a Northern Lights evening with views and reindeer stew.

Note: It isn't uncommon for an outfitter to subcontract services from its competitors, so don't be surprised if you book with one vendor and find yourself heading for polar bear country with another. The level of guide expertise is high, thanks to a training and certification program that was introduced in the early 1990s. (Also, don't be surprised if your guide turns out to be a master's candidate in Arctic biology or geology at the University Centre in Svalbard.)

Next page: Cruises and boat trips

Longyearbyen tourist information:

Hotels, guesthouses, camping

Restaurants

Shopping

Arrival and departure

Planning tips, Web links

Photos with captions