Moments of relaxation at the new Munch Museum in Oslo

On October 22, 2021, the doors to the new Edvard Munch Museum by the waterfront in Bjørvika in Oslo were finally opened. The museum will be a global destination for experiencing Edvard Munch's art and life – but also other art exhibitions and cultural experiences such as music, film, art talks, and various types of performances. With thousands of daily visitors, high demands were placed on the museum's seating furniture to be both extremely durable and robust, but at the same time comfortable and blend into the museum's interior.

The new museum is a very prestigious project for Oslo and an inviting meeting place that is characterized by openness. The vision is to expand the idea of ​​what a museum can be, and offer the visitors completely new experiences and perspectives.

The 13-storey and 58-meter-high building was designed by the Spanish architectural firm Estudio Herreros and includes eleven exhibition halls. Herrero's design is based on the idea of ​​a tower-shaped museum, where the main functions are organized vertically. With its impressive height and the distinctly leaning top section, the tower is a very visible landmark from all sides. It gives the Oslo skyline a new shape, but bows respectfully towards the surrounding city. The façade, which is clad in recycled, perforated aluminium panels with varying degrees of transparency, gives the museum an enigmatic and ever-changing presence that reflects the fantastic lighting conditions in Oslo that change during the day and the different seasons. In the old harbour area Bjørvika, the new Munch Museum is also accompanied by Snøhetta's opera building and the new library designed by architectural firm Lundhagem.

The museum's main hall has extraordinary acoustics and can accommodate up to 700 people while the hall on the 12th floor has a roof terrace with a unique view of the city and the fjord. In addition, there is a cinema in the foyer that can be used for more intimate gatherings. The museum has around 28,000 objects – of which 1,200 paintings and over 7,000 drawings and sketches – created by the extremely productive Edvard Munch in its collections and for the first time, these works will truly have the space they deserve.

The museum also wants to deepen and enrich the experience and insights further by inviting visitors to play and express themselves artistically and offers a range of tours and activities for both young and old.

Food is also a natural part of the experience. At the very top of the building is a first-class restaurant. In addition, there is a café on the ground level next to the fjord and a bar with a fantastic roof terrace. The kitchen is run by the restaurant group MUMA, known for restaurants like Taco Republica, Ben Reddik, and Mangelsgården.

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