An old grain silo in Odderøya, Kristiansand, Norway, has been converted into a cultural icon. Kunstsilo Kristiansand has become one of Northern Europe’s most exciting centers of art and culture. Now, it has been voted the world’s most beautiful museum.
The old grain silo from 1935 has been transformed into a spectacular museum that puts Southern Norway on the world map. Kunstsilo opened on May 11, 2024, and is a continuation of the Southern Norway Art Museum, now with a new name, new location, and a significant expansion of the art collection. Kunstsiloen in Kristiansand aims to become the Nordic region’s best museum of modernist art.
The architecture prize is awarded at UNESCO’s headquarters in Paris and is intended to highlight the world’s best contemporary projects. Museum director Maria Mediaas Jørstad is delighted with the award.
The spectacular museum Kunstsilo in Kristiansand has received international attention and won one of the world’s most prestigious architecture awards – Prix Versailles 2025. Kunstsilo is the only museum from Scandinavia to be included on the prestigious list and was competing for the title of the world’s most beautiful museum, alongside museums from France, Indonesia, South Korea, Saudi Arabia, and the USA, among others.
How to maintain the patrimonial value of the grain elevator from 1935, and at the same time develop it into a contemporary Museum of Art?
The original silo was designed by Korsmo and Aarsland Architects, leading figures in Norway’s functionalist movement. Today, Kunstsilo, together with the Kilden Performing Arts Centre and Knuden Cultural School, is part of the new cultural quarter of Kristiansand, with strong local, regional, and international ambitions.
“We are overwhelmed with joy and very proud of this recognition! It is great to be in Paris, and we are delighted that the architects of Kunstsilo, Mestres Wåge Arkitekter,
Mendoza Partida and BAX Studio are celebrating tonight. This is their award,” said Museum director Mediaas, according to NTB.
The Tangen collection, included in the Kunstsilo, is named after Nicolai Tangen, the manager of the Norwegian Sovereign Wealth Fund, who bequeathed his collection of Nordic art to Kristiansand, his hometown, in 2015.
Instead of building new, it was decided to rebuild the existing grain, which is a clear example of the circular economy and reuse of materials and buildings. By reusing existing buildings, the need for new material production and energy-intensive construction processes is reduced, resulting in a lower climate footprint than a new building.
From the Jury report in the competition: “The Kunstsilo proposal harnesses all the expressive power of a silo (an existing heritage building) to generate a diverse and complex urban space with a variety of spatial, programmatic, and climatic characteristics. The proposal includes a new museum, a performing arts school, a hotel, and an incubator for artistic start-ups. The project strikes an elegant balance by combining respect for the qualities of the silo building with an imaginative attitude to the inherently sculptural and special experiences it offers. With a few cuts into the interior of the silo, an understated yet monumental volume is opened up with controlled top-lighting that gives the future museum a strong and unique character.” (Translation- the architects)
1st Prize: Building of the Year, Norway, 2025
1st Prize: Spanish Architecture Award, 2025
1st Prize: Concrete Award, Norway, 2025
1st Prize: ADF Design Award 2025
Nominated: Mies van der Rohe Award 2026
Winner: World’s Most Beautiful Museums, by the Prix Versailles.
Notable Mention: TIME’s list of the World’s Greatest Places of 2024.
Notable Mention: The New York Times’ list of 52 places to visit in 2025
The World’s Most Beautiful Museum – in Kristiansand, reported by Tor Kjolberg