The new Norwegian National Museum It has just been inaugurated in Oslo, and officially named the largest of the Nordic countries (it is bigger, for example, than other great ones like the Guggenheim). The data? It has more than 13,000 square meters of exhibition space, and with a total area of 54,600 square meters.
Its headquarters, located in an old shipyard, houses the collections of the former National Gallery, the Museum of Contemporary Art and the Norwegian Museum of Decorative Arts and Design under one roof. And it is not just any roof, but one designed by Kleinhues + Schuwerk Gesellschaft von Architekten, German studio that has preferred to bet on the longevity of the building to the detriment of architectural sensationalism.
Exterior of the new National Museum in Oslo.
In this way, as it has been conceived with the perspective of house works of art for centuries, the museum is built with clean and robust materials that age with dignity, such as oak, bronze and marble. In addition, the entire façade is covered with Norwegian slate, one of the many measures that have been taken so that the building o Reduce greenhouse gas emissions by at least 50% compared to current building standards
The new exhibition center is, therefore, in perfect balance with the surroundings of the popular area of Aker Brygge , which has monuments such as the Oslo City Hall and the Akershus Fortress. Thus, it is part of a global initiative whose purpose is to renovate Oslo's waterfront , on which the museum casts spectacular views.
The museum also houses rooms dedicated to the little ones.
MORE THAN 6,500 WORKS OF ART AND A SPACE DEDICATED TO MUNCH
More than 6,500 works of art –dating from Antiquity to the most recent contemporary acquisitions– make up the permanent collection of the new National Museum in Oslo, which is spread over its two floors and its almost 90 rooms. The building also has a large outdoor terrace, cafes, a shop and the largest art library from the Nordic region.
The imposing library of the National Museum of Norway.
Likewise, the German architects Kleihues + Schuwerk have designed a spectacular space for temporary exhibitions, the Light Hall (located on the roof), which will premiere at the opening with an extensive study on new norwegian contemporary art, starring more than a hundred artists of all ages with works that cover all the artistic fields to which the museum is dedicated.
The institution - which has about 400,000 objects ranging from medieval tapestries to modern design classics and contemporary works of art– will also have rooms dedicated to the important collection of works by Edward Munch (included The Scream), to 19th-century landscape painting and the royal dresses worn by the queens of Norway, as well as a display of works by the renowned Norwegian architect Sverre Fehn.
All kinds of arts come together in the new exhibition space.
Featured Artists in the first exhibitions they will be Claude MonetVincent Van Gogh Ida Ekblad, Harald Sohlberg, Harriet Backer, Theodor Kittelsen, Gustav Vigeland, Hannah Ryggen, and Lucas Cranach. The work of each of them justifies, in itself, a visit to the vibrant Norwegian capital, which with this museum further expands its interesting cultural offer.