At the opening of the new Kleihues + Schuwerk-designed National Museum of Norway, Karin Hindsbo, the institution’s first director, proclaimed that “with this new building, Norway has a world-class museum.” In one regard, she is right: the curators, together with exhibition designers Guicciardini & Magni Architetti, have woven together a compelling story of a nation’s material life across more than 80 rooms and a mighty 3.2 acres of exhibition space on three floors. The permanent hang, particularly of pre-industrial artifacts, is ingenious, vital, and creative. Eastern Orthodox icons that ended up in Norway following a schism with the western church in the 11th century hang on steel-strung frames; the exciting world of the early-19th-century post-independence salon is conjured out of simple furniture and soundscapes. In this, the museum is a clear success. Whether it is a world-class work of architecture is another matter.
In many ways, a new national museum is an anachronism. Most European countries have one, and those that don’t (e.g. Austria) boast a range of impressive museums that collectively tell the nation's material story. The Norwegians found themselves in just such a situation, but were not happy with it. In 2003, the country set out to combine five existing institutions—the National Gallery, the Museum of Decorative Arts and Design, the Museum of Architecture, the Museum of Contemporary Art, and the state program for traveling exhibitions—into one immense facility.
You have 0 complimentary articles remaining.
Unlimited access + premium benefits for as low as $1.99/month.