Royal and Ancient Polar Bear Society

The Royal and Ancient Polar Bear Society is housed in a small building on Hammerfest's waterfront, and it is one of the more cheerfully absurd institutions in Norway. For a modest fee, visitors can become members of the society, receive an official certificate of their northerly achievement, and browse a compact exhibition on the history of Arctic hunting — seal, walrus, polar bear, and fox were all hunted from Hammerfest for centuries.

The exhibition is small but genuinely interesting on the history of Arctic whaling and hunting, and the polar bear specimens on display are impressive close up. The membership ceremony is brief and good-humoured. Cynics will roll their eyes; everyone else will enjoy the combination of local pride, Viking-era hunting history, and gentle self-awareness. It is worth half an hour.

things to do museum
A story
The Society was founded in 1963 partly as a tourism gimmick and partly as a genuine celebration of the Arctic hunting tradition. Members receive a certificate confirming they have reached Hammerfest, along with a membership card and the right to use the society's emblem — a polar bear rampant — on stationery and business cards. Over 200,000 people have enrolled since the society's founding, including heads of state and celebrities who happened to pass through on the Hurtigruten.