Edvard Munch’s work will finally benefit from a setting commensurate with the talent of this world-famous Norwegian painter, author of the famous The Scream. 

In Oslo, the Munch Museum opens its doors at the end of 2021, after years of controversy and procrastination, in particular political obstacles concerning the proposed design and location, as well as delays linked to the pandemic. This museum will be five times the size of the original museum, which dated back to 1963 (during his lifetime, Munch had ceded all of his funds to the City of Oslo) and which has just closed its doors. The new building, designed by the Madrid studio Estudio Herreros, will present a rich collection of Norwegian heritage and culture as well as thousands of works by Munch. 

Shaking up the horizon

Oslo MUSEO MUNCH ©Adrià_Goula

The new 13-floor, 60-metre-high structure is intended to be a vibrant centre for contemporary culture and caters to different demographic groups and various public interests. The museum has been designed along an ascending route that creates a sense of vertical communication. The programmatic complexity of the museum’s services and facilities will decrease as the visitor rises: the ground floor will house the most functions – restaurant, cafes, offices, research library, education department, etc. – and these will gradually decrease until visitors reach the observatory on the roof. 

The project was built according to the ecological criteria of the passive house. The facades are coated with perforated aluminium in different opacities that create delicate shades of light throughout the day. Its white, blue and grey tones echo the colours of the river and the large bay windows of the National Opera on the opposite bank.

Tags: Edvard Munch, Estudio Herreros., Munch Museum, Oslo, The Scream