Botanical Garden Oslo

Botanical Garden, Botanisk hage in Norwegian, is a historic botanical garden at Tøyen in Oslo, and part of the Natural History Museum at the University of Oslo. The garden covers a large green area with old trees, greenhouses, botanical collections and winding paths, creating a quiet and almost secluded atmosphere close to the centre of the city. Its mixture of open lawns, dense planting, scientific surroundings and older garden architecture has made it a natural location for films needing a peaceful, observational or slightly withdrawn Oslo setting.

In About Tilla (1963), original title Om Tilla, Botanical Garden is used as one of the film’s central early locations. The film begins with child psychologist Ivar, played by Toralv Maurstad, going to the garden to find Maria, Tilla’s mother. Maria works there, and Ivar meets her in a laboratory, where she is bent over a microscope. Before this, Tilla is seen lying asleep under a tree in the garden, immediately connecting the character to the calm but emotionally distant environment around her.

Botanisk hage continues to be used throughout About Tilla, giving the film a recurring Oslo location that reflects both Maria’s work and Tilla’s isolated inner world. The garden’s open spaces, old trees and scientific setting create a contrast between the apparent calm of the surroundings and the psychological tension in the story. Because the location is tied directly to Maria’s everyday life and to several scenes with Tilla, Botanisk hage becomes more than just a background; it helps establish the emotional tone of the film.

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