The Archbishop's Palace is the oldest secular building in Scandinavia. Work on it started in the 12th century, and it was the Archbishop's residence until the Reformation in 1537. From 1566 it was the residence of Danish governors. Later, in about 1700, it was taken over by the military authorities. The oldest part, the north wing, is now used by central and local authorities for official receptions. The east and south wings were rebuilt in 1995/96 after a fire in 1983, and they now house a museum and a concert hall.

       The new museum was constructed on the site of the fire, after five years of archaeological excavations, and it is built around the rich discoveries that had been made. In the basement, the archaelogical exhibition takes us through the history of the Archbishop's Palace. The most unique discovery is the Archbishop's mint, which is preserved just as archaeologists found it. The museum also contains the Cathedrals original collection of sculptures. The Cathedral and the sculptures are also presented in an exciting audiovisual performance. The Museum was the winner of the Norwegian Museum of the Year award in 1998.