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This Cruise Ship Is a Floating Museum

Courtesy of Viking Cruises

The Viking Sea features a minimalist Scandinavian décor and ambiance more closely resembling an elegant living space than a cruising behemoth. In addition to the luxe details, all public areas are appointed with an impressive mixed-media collection of travel, nature, and sea-related artwork—some dating back to ancient times—created by artists from around the globe. Here are a few of the ships' most eye-catching pieces.—Jessica Benavides Canepa

Courtesy of Viking Cruises
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Adrian Grey

Adrian Grey

WHERE: Fitness Center

One of the first artists to feature stone-balancing as an art form, this British-born creator photographs stone sculptures in seemingly impossible positions alongside natural settings.

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Britt Smelvaer

Britt Smelvær

WHERE: The Salon

Inspired by the whimsical beauty of Arabic ornaments, this Norwegian artist experimented with geometric patterns on Plexiglas to create a series of eye-popping works of art.

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Edvard Munch

Edvard Munch

WHERE: The Living Room

Best known for his Expressionist paintingThe Scream, Norway’s own Edvard Munch also dabbled in lithography and woodcut printing, including this rare piece from 1903. 

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Kate Jenkins

Kate Jenkins

WHERE: World Café

With a touch of quirk, this celebrated British crochet designer has taken typical food, in this case seafood, and turned it into elaborately colorful masterpieces.

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Mikael Nilsson

Mikal Nilsson

WHERE: The Restaurant

This Swedish artist often takes his visual inspiration from films, computer games, and natural settings to offer a vivid, acrylic world on canvas.

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Queen Sonja

H.M. Queen Sonja of Norway

WHERE: The Restaurant

Norway’s reigning artistically inclined queen has been painting since her youth. In this haunting series, the monarch was inspired by nature, photography, and color manipulation.

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The Bayeux Tapestry

WHERE: Main Stairway

Arguably the most treasured work on display, the well-preserved tapestry depicts pivotal medieval events including the 11th-century invasion by William the Conqueror.

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Thomas Wilderberg

Thomas Widerberg

WHERE: The Spa

Eternally fascinated with remote places, this Norwegian photographer captures the stark loneliness of these locales. Finished works are heavily varnished to achieve a dynamic 3D effect.