The Victoria House – 150 years in 2026
The Victoria House at Tøyen was opened in 1876 to showcase the famous Victoria water lily and tropical plants. This year, the Victoria House turns 150. Dive into the history and learn more about the plants that you'll find here.
Temporarily closed:
After several plant thefts, we are temporarily closing the Victoria House and the Palm House. We will share more information as soon as we know when we can open again.
The Victoria House at Tøyen was opened in 1876 to showcase what was, and still is, one of the most spectacular flowering plants – the Victoria water lily.
The Victoria-pool
In the central hall you’ll find the pool with Victoria water lilies. Here we grow either the species Victoria cruziana, Victoria amazonica, or the “Longwood hybrid”, which is a cross between the two. Other tropical aquatic plants also grow in the pool. If you are lucky, you may see a lotus in bloom.
Elsewhere in the room you’ll mainly find useful plants from tropical regions, where the climate is warm and humid. You know them from the kitchen, but you may not know what plants like ginger, coffee and cinnamon look like in nature.
Subtropical climate
The room to the right as you enter is dedicated to plants from subtropical regions. Some shed their leaves during dry periods, and some survive as underground tubers. Botanists at the Natural History Museum work to describe and map the flora of eastern and southern Africa. Many new species have been described. Some are threatened with extinction and may exist only in cultivation here at the museum. In this room, we grow some of them.
Epiphytes and carnivorous plants
The room to the left shows a glimpse of the plant life in the rainforest canopy. Without roots in the ground, the plants must absorb water from their surroundings, so the climate here is warm. Plants that live in the treetops are called epiphytes. Many of them are orchids or relatives of the pineapple. Along one wall of the room, you can also see carnivorous plants.
Opened in 1876. Named after the Victoria water lily.
- Opening hours are 10:00–21:00 from 1 April to 30 September. Free admission.
The Victoria water lily
There are three species of Victoria water lily. Two of them grow in the Amazon river system, while the third grows in South America’s second-longest river, the Paraná.
Historic photos from the Victoria House
The Victoria House is one of the most distinctive and historic buildings in Oslo, both architecturally and botanically.
The Victoria House is a tropical greenhouse built to grow and display tropical aquatic plants, especially the spectacular giant water lily Victoria (genus Victoria, often Victoria amazonica), which gave the house its name.
In the 19th century, cultivating exotic plants was a prestigious undertaking for botanical gardens in Europe, and the Victoria lily was a sensation because of the size of its leaves and flower.
Book a private guided tour of the Victoria House in autumn 2026
This year we are celebrating the 150th anniversary of the completion of the Victoria House. Ever since the late 19th century, visitors to the Botanical Garden have been able to experience tropical landscapes and exotic plants from distant parts of the world. Several of the species that were present back then still grow in the house today, along with many new additions. Book a private tour and learn more about the history of the Victoria House and the plants you find there.
- Price: NOK 1,000
- Number of participants: up to 10 (the greenhouse is narrow, so even ten participants can feel crowded)
- The tour lasts about 45 minutes
- The Victoria House is not wheelchair accessible
- Time period: September–December 2026. Weekdays from 14:00, weekends from 10:00 until the garden closes.
Book a guided tour here
Visit the Victoria House
Opening hours are 10:00–21:00 from 1 April to 30 September. From 1 October to 31 March, it is open 10:00–17:00. Free admission.
