Located on Oslo’s waterfront, Norway’s National Museum of Art, Architecture and Design was constructed on the site of the old Railway Station West (Vestbanen) in Oslo, and opened to the public in June 2022.

Called the National Museum for short, it is the largest museum in the Nordic region, with 6,500 works across 86 exhibition rooms displaying art, architecture and design, from antiquity to the present day.

The building offers spectacular space for temporary exhibitions, including Light Hall, situated on the roof, as well as a large open-air roof terrace and the largest art library in the Nordics. Situated overlooking Oslo’s beautiful harbor and close to the promenade, the museum offers spectacular views of the city, a lovely café and, of course, a vast collection of artwork.

© National Museum / Borre Hostland

“The new building enables the museum to show more of our collection than ever before, with spaces for temporary exhibitions of entirely new formats on an international scale,” said Karin Hindsbo, director, National Museum of Art, Architecture and Design. “It is a building that is now filled with events and activities.”

Klaus Schuwerk, Kleihues + Schuwerk Architects designed the museum, as a commission authorized by Statsbygg, Norway’s Public Construction and Property organization. It was constructed with the perspective of housing artwork for centuries, with clean and robust materials that will age with dignity, such as oak, bronze and marble. Norwegian slate covers the entire façade. As a FutureBuilt pilot project, the building was designed to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by at least 50 percent, compared to current building standards.

Objects on display include imperial Roman busts; a nearly 1,000-year-old Baldishol Tapestry; porcelain from imperial China; royal costumes and contemporary fashion; interiors and graphic design; and a collection of unique, 18^th-century, Norwegian glass goblets.

© National Museum / Iwan Baan

The galleries devoted to visual art include Dutch and Flemish landscape paintings and still lifes from the 17^th century; landscape paintings by Johan Christian Dahl; and works by Harriet Backer, Harald Sohlberg and Kitty Kielland. One of the main attractions is the museum’s iconic collection of works by Edvard Munch, including “The Scream.” Other notable works in the collection include paintings by Pablo Picasso and an array of other influential 20^th-century artists, such as Henri Matisse and Anna-Eva Bergman. There is also a room dedicated to the architect Sverre Fehn and permanent installations by Per Inge Bjørlo and Ilya Kabakov.

One of the current exhibitions is “Piranesi and the Modern.” The Italian artist Piranesi is best known for his etchings depicting Rome, fantastical buildings, vertiginous staircases and crumbling ruins. His architectural visions helped to define ideas of modernity in various artistic disciplines in the 20^th century and are still influential today. That exhibition runs through Jan. 8, 2023. Future exhibitions include presentations of Louise Bourgeois (2023), Frida Kahlo (2024) and Mark Rothko (2024).

The National Museum is open every day except Monday. Admission runs 180 NOK ($17); seniors (67 years of age and above) and guests (18-25 years) 110 NOK ($10); and visitors under 18 years are free.