In 2021, the largest art museum in the Nordic countries will open in Oslo. Here you can experience older and modern art, contemporary art, architecture and design all under one roof and in completely new ways. Read more about the new National Museum in Oslo.
10,600 square meters and 91 rooms – the man behind the new museum is the Italian architect and exhibition designer Marco Magni. The National Museum for Art, Architecture and Design houses Norway’s most extensive collection of historical and modern art, design, handicrafts and architecture.
In 2013, Norway’s parliament approved the plans and the 5.3 billion Norwegian kroner bill for a new National Museum. Until 2018, the National Museum was divided into four different departments in various museum buildings in Oslo. Next year, these departments will gather under one roof. The museum will be situated by the harbor, at the inner part of the Oslo fjord.
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The museum’s permanent exhibition comprises over 6000 works and objects from over 5,000 years of art, design and architecture from around the world. Oslo’s new National Museum has been on the horizon for some time now. Unfortunately, the project has been hit by delays, but when it opens sometimes next year it will be a place for new ideas, inspiration and compelling cultural experiences. The aim is to make art accessible to everyone and reflect the society and the times we live in.
23 companies from all over the world applied for the tender to design the group exhibition, and the Italian architectural studio Guicciardini & Magno unanimously won the competition. Thus, Marco Magno, founder of the studio, won the largest exhibition assignment in Norway ever. In the new collection exhibition, older and modern art, architecture, design, arts and crafts, and contemporary art will be presented under one roof and in new settings.
In addition to the main exhibition halls, the museum has two temporary exhibition halls, plus a vast art hall of 2,700 m² for guest exhibitions. These will provide new exhibition opportunities for Norway and Scandinavia. There will also be a comprehensive library and archives section, study rooms and offices available for all museum employees.
However, the new building has not escaped criticism by some and a source of excitement for those eager for the modern new gallery to open.
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In the years to come, Marco Magni will be responsible for the exhibitions in the 91 rooms, of which five are outdoors. The rooms will function both individually and as a whole.
With such large exhibition areas, the National Museum will be able to showcase twice as many works from the art, architecture and design collections than ever before, as well as presenting a rich program of temporary exhibitions with Norwegian and international artists.
The National Museum is an established institution with a public mandate and is state-owned and controlled by the Norwegian Ministry of Culture. Every country with an art, architecture or design history should have one main location befitting of the diverse array of precious collections in its possession. Norway is no different in this respect. Something new and modern is coming to Oslo’s waterfront.
60 people – from curators and mediators to project managers, technicians, librarians and security managers – are working hard to retouch paintings, repair frames, clean sculptures and find out which works of art will be displayed in the different rooms – and what is actually affordable to pose, from plaster busts to wallpapers.
The new museum with a total surface of 54 600 m² is more than just a venue for art, design and architecture. It also serves as an essential research, management and dissemination environment for each discipline. The museum shall, therefore, represent a broadness and diversity to the highest degree of the population.
Similar to the Opera House in the city, a viewing spectrum on the roof will be accessible to visitors. From the roof terrace, views of Akershus Fortress, Rådhusplassen and Oslo fjord can be enjoyed. Finally, the new museum will have all the usually amenities such as a restaurant, cafés and several boutique shops.
The New National Museum in Oslo, written by Tor Kjolberg