Prior to 1993, the island was owned by the Norwegian government and it was used as a naval base and training grounds, but since that time, the municipality of Kristiansand has taken over and is now using it for recreational purposes.

At Bendiksbukta, a dagger, an ax, and other tools of flint dating back to the Stone Age (Around the year 1000 BC) have been found.

The quarantine station was separated from the rest of the island with a high wall that runs from the height of Lasaretthøyden to Bendiksbukta.

[3][5] On 9 April 1940, eight Norwegian soldiers lost their lives in the battle against German aircraft and warships during the invasion of Norway in Operation Weserübung at Odderøya Fortress.

The attackers of Kristiansand and Arendal consisted of the light cruiser Karlsruhe, three torpedo boats, and seven smaller vessels, one mothership, and around 1,000 soldiers.

[9] The coordinated invasion of several cities started the former neutral Norway's participation in World War II on the Allied side.

In much of the post-war period, the fort on Odderøya served as a base and boot camp for the Norwegian Coastal Artillery.

[5][15] Following the takeover of the municipality of Kristiansand,[5] Odderøya has been used for varying cultural purposes and there has been broad agreement that the eastern and southern part will remain as untouched as possible.

The quayside on the island's west side, however is under construction and will become residential area, intersected by new, artificial canals.

[3][16] There are two current museum exhibitions on the island run by volunteers who show the military history of the fortress.

[17] On the island's east side[2] was an important port and cargo space even before the settlements in the area had been named Kristiansand and was founded as a city.

[2] On the west side, there are a quay harbor, warehouses, a grain and cement silo, and cleaning and tank farms.

Grain Silo on pier 13 is designed by Sverre Aasland and Arne Korsmo for Christiansands Mills and is characterized as an "outstanding, independent and architectural work completed," and was awarded funds Houen diploma in 1939.

[20] There are plans to refurbish, restore, and reopen the bunker underneath the gun emplacements containing the former command post on top of the island as a museum.

Odderøyas Venner is a voluntary association which organizes volunteer work[22] and operates the cafè at the former watchman's residence on the southern tip of the island, offering refreshments on Sundays all year long from 11 am until 4 pm.

In a former gunpowder house next to the cafe, there is a small museum exhibit illustrating the naval battle of Kristiansand on 9 April 1940.

Odderøya offers opportunities for recreation, walking in the woods, swimming and fishing from the rocks, despite the proximity to the city.

[30] Haubitz Hall Salongen is a lounge on the top of Odderøya that is used for smaller club concerts, with mostly local artists.

Haubitz Hall Salongen is inspired by American jazz / cabaret clubs of the 1940s, as well as from the house's own history as an officers' booth and later a cinema room for the former boot camp.

In 2007, the sports ground was rebuilt with a new concert venue with an outdoor amphitheater, Odderøya Amphi, that has an audience capacity of 22,000.

[3] Many different kinds of bands and musicians have given outdoors live concerts on Odderøya over the years, including David Bowie, Bryan Adams, Nick Cave, Alice Cooper, Ozzy Osbourne, John Fogerty, Bob Dylan, Sting, Kanye West, No Doubt, Foo Fighters, Aerosmith, Daft Punk, Björk, Alicia Keys, Black Eyed Peas, Damian Marley, Backstreet Boys, Pink, Slash, Oasis, Snoop Dogg, 50 Cent, Ron Wood, The Who, Marilyn Manson, Muse and Coldplay.