visit oslo munch museum

The Munch Museum

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The Munch Museum

Edvard Munch Museum and collection is an absolutely highlight for art and culture lovers.

Edvard Munch has a unique position among Nordic painters and is considered an expressionist pioneer.

Impressive collections

This is a landmark collection with over 1100 paintings, 4500 watercolours, and 18000 prints and sketching books bequeathed to Oslo by Munch himself. As an Edvard Munch fan, you won`t miss this attraction. The museum takes a comprehensive look at the artist`s dedicated work and presents pieces not contained in the National Gallery.

Films about Edvard Munch

Films about Edvard Munch's life and art are screened during the museum's opening hours. The film programme is available on the museum's website. The museum offers audio tours in Norwegian and English and a permanent documentary exhibition.  

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• Lattitude: 59.916951
• Longitude: 10.774498
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Oslo's new Munch museum is ready to welcome visitors in its dramatic waterfront home

Oct 28, 2021 • 3 min read

The work of Edvard Munch has a spectacular new home in Oslo ©Guttorm Stilen Johansen

Oslo 's new Munchmuseet is finally open. Since October 22, guests have been able to view The Scream and 40,000 works associated with world-renowned Norwegian painter Edvard Munch in a spectacular waterfront location.

It's the world's largest collection devoted to a single artist and one of the most anticipated museum openings of the year. Thirteen years after Oslo's city council decided to build a new museum for Munch's art (moving it from its original home in Tøyen at Oslo's east side) the project finally began welcoming its first guests last Friday.

Designed by Spanish architects Estudio Herreros , the huge museum dwarfs the original space, with 11 galleries spread out over 13 floors. Much of the space is dedicated to the life and art of Edvard Munch with some pieces coming into the spotlight for the first time. There are also works by other Modernist and contemporary artists on display.

Spanish architect studio Estudio Herreros won the contract to design the new Munch museum back in 2009, and after some uncertainty on both design and location, construction eventually got underway in 2016. The museum sits on Bjørvika bay—a trendy new waterfront district in Oslo—and is five times larger than the original museum in Tøyen.

"Greeting people both day and night, Munch is a new reference point in Oslo's skyline that gives locals and visitors an overview and orientation within the city, the surrounding mountains and the Oslo fjord," notes architect Juan Herreros.

Read more: Oslo’s ambitious new library was worth the wait

The new museum is part of the FutureBuilt collaboration, which aims to reduce greenhouse gas emissions in the construction and operation of new buildings in design-forward Oslo. Designers say Munchmuseet is made from environmentally-friendly steel and concrete, and its façade is made of a translucent aluminium, which appears to shimmer against the water when you approach the museum from the waterfront.

Read more: 'The Whale' will be Norway’s next stunning visitor attraction

It's not just about art and design, the museum is also positioning itself as a great place to hang out in Oslo. Inside there's a rooftop bar, cafe and restaurant with views overlooking the city and fjord. There will also be rotating exhibitions and concerts to look forward to. "We will change exhibitions regularly, and we will have a comprehensive event program, with concerts, lectures, artist talks, curator talks and the like, said museum director Stein Olav Henrichsen.

Now that borders have opened again, travelers have a ton of good stuff to look forward to in Norway . Munchmuseet is just one of the many new cultural attractions launching in Oslo and it's part of the reason why Norway was selected as one of next year's top countries to visit (in second place) for Lonely Planet’s Best in Travel 2022 . The museum sits just a few minutes walk from the new Deichman library which opened last summer, and it's close to highly-anticipated new National Museum in Rådhusplassen. Set to open in 2022, the National Museum will be the largest cultural center in the Nordic countries.

You might also like: Norway's Far North is the ideal winter playground Embrace winter like a Norwegian this year by practising 'friluftsliv' Hike to a cabin overlooking a fjord in the forests outside Oslo

This article was first published January 2021 and updated October 2021

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Top ways to experience Munch and nearby attractions

• Jernbanetorget • 9 min walk
• Grønland • 10 min walk

Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.

Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as waiting time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.

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The Munch Museum, Oslo Oslo, Norway

When Munch died in January 1944, it transpired that he had unconditionally bequeathed all his remaining works to the City of Oslo. Edvard Munch's art is the most significant Norwegian contribution to the history of art, and he is the only Norwegian artist who has exercised a decisive influence on European art trends, above all as a pioneer of Expressionism in Germany and the Nordic countries.

The Munch Museum opened in 1963 and has a unique collection of approximately 1100 paintings, 4500 drawings and 18 000 prints. Major works will always be on display in the museum. The selection is changed regularly. In 1994, expansion and rehabilitation of the museum was financed by the Japanese company Idemitsu Kosan Ltd. The museum was partly rebuilt in 2005 to upgrade security.

The museum's programme also comprises film screenings, audioguides, concerts, guided tours and lectures. The museum has a shop with catalogues and souvenirs and a cafe that serves salads, pastries, sandwiches etc. The museum's library houses literature on Edvard Munch and other artists.

On youtube: http://www.youtube.com/user/themunchmuseum/featured

facebook: https://www.facebook.com/edvard.munch

Our Audio Guide for the current exhibition: http://audiomunch.no/

In this collection

Edvard munch, expressionism.

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How to Spend a Day in Oslo’s Bjørvika District, Home to the Munch Museum

By Karen Gardiner

Over the last 15 years, new arrivals to Oslo's harborside Bjørvika district, like the marble-and-glass façade of the Oslo Opera House and the Astrup Fearnley Museum, have turned it from an industrial wasteland to a modern-architecture hub. In October, it got another world-class cultural destination when the Estudio Herreros–designed Munch Museum opened to reveal 11 galleries housing the world's most extensive collection from the Norwegian master, including several versions of The Scream. The 13th-floor terrace bar, Kranen, is already a hot hangout. Here, how to turn a visit to the museum into a full day in the neighborhood.

The concept space

Launched more than a decade ago as a nomadic art and food project, Salt now has a permanent home in Oslo, where its tall wooden “fish racks” host live music and exhibitions. Visitors can browse the outdoor food hall, eat waffles in the cozy Boat House, and sweat in six waterfront saunas .

The landmark

With or without concert tickets, visitors are invited to walk across the sloping roof of the Snøhetta-designed Oslo Opera House and enter the lobby to view artworks by the likes of Olafur Eliasson. The building debuted in 2008, heralding the beginning of Bjørvika's regeneration. Last summer, Operastranda, a 328-foot-long public beach, opened out front.

The wellness break

Floating saunas are the hottest trend on the cool Oslofjord. The two biggest operators are KoK , which has four sauna boats, and the Oslo Badstuforening , whose biggest facility, Bademaschinen, opened this summer. Visitors can steam in its two saunas, then jump into the icy water for a natural endorphin rush.

The watering hole

Trendy wine bars are also popular in Oslo, but none can compete with the location or selection of Vin Bjørvika on Munch Brygge, next to the museum. There are more than 100 wines by the glass and 600 bottles from New Zealand to Napa to choose from while you take in the fjord views.

The brunch spot

Behind a bubble-gum-pink door lies the Vandelay , the lower-key sibling of chef Esben Holmboe Bang's Michelin-starred Maaemo. It's packed at any hour, but brunch pulls in an especially big crowd of diners, who come seeking subtly Nordic-influenced classics such as fluffy pancakes with birch syrup and avocado on rye.

The eco shop

Known for timeless, versatile garments inspired by Norwegian architecture and Scandinavian minimalism, the sustainably minded label Envelope1976 opened its first brick-and-mortar location in September. The design ethos extends to the store itself, where everything from the racks to the decor is made from surplus or repurposed materials.

This article appeared in the December 2021 issue of  Condé Nast Traveler.  Subscribe to the magazine   here .

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Is Oslo’s Munch Museum worth visiting?

One of Norway’s most celebrated artists, Edvard Munch was an often misunderstood individual whose talent went far beyond his iconic Scream painting. 

Munch spent much of his life in Oslo, and his legacy now has a new home in the recently-renovated Munch Museum.

The new museum is in an impressive modern structure along Oslo’s upscale waterfront. Entry is, like many things in the Norwegian capital, pricey – but is it really a Scream? And is it really worth paying for? Let’s find out.

What’s the museum like? What are the exhibits like? Who’s the museum for? Practical info Our verdict: is it worth visiting?

What’s the Munch Museum like? 

Located right by the waterfront in the heart of Oslo, the new Munch Museum opened in October 2021 and covers 13 floors.

It’s one of Norway’s most comprehensive art museums, and there’s enough variety to keep you busy for a couple of hours at least – even if art isn’t usually your thing.

In fact, considering how much there is to see and do, this place feels more like a cultural centre than a museum. 

Besides admiring famous works of art and learning about the life of Edvard Munch, the museum is also a place to play. For example, up on the seventh floor, you can create your own version of Munch’s art.

We particularly love the top of the museum, too, which offers perhaps the best view of Oslo’s Sørenga and Bjørvika neighbourhoods – plus you can see the Oslofjord from up here too. 

You can buy tickets on the day of your visit (subject to availability, of course), and prices are the same as if you reserve ahead.

But the Munch Museum is very popular, so you should consider booking beforehand. You don’t need to choose a time slot, but we do recommend going early if you want to avoid the crowds.

Handily for parents visiting with kids, the Munch Museum has free lockers where you can safely store your bags.

What are the exhibits like? 

Your main reason for visiting the Munch Museum might be to see The Scream , and you can certainly see one version of the iconic painting on the fourth floor.

However, the museum also displays more than 200 of Munch’s other works as permanent exhibitions. 

Besides paintings, you can also see numerous artefacts from Munch’s life in Norway and other European cities such as Berlin. 

Furniture from the artist’s home in Oslo’s Ullern district is also on display, though you aren’t allowed to touch it. The same goes for much of the artwork you see. 

That’s not to say that the Munch Museum experience isn’t interactive, though. As you wander around each floor, you can view videos explaining the artist’s life in more detail.

For example, there are videos of the area around where Munch lived for almost 30 years until his death in 1944. 

Is the Oslo Pass worth buying?

Read this guide to see how much you could save during your trip!

Who is the museum best for? 

The Munch Museum isn’t just a celebration of the artist’s life – it also aims to inspire all kinds of people to bring their ideas into the world. Who will the museum appeal to most, though? 

Art lovers won’t want to miss the Munch Museum in Oslo, which is home to some of Europe’s most important works of Expressionist art.

The new space is well-thought-out and each floor has a different theme, which all combines for a thoroughly rewarding experience.

You can also create your own masterpieces and take those with you. 

History fans 

Munch lived during a transformative period of history, and he was around at the same time as iconic artists like Salvador Dalí and Pablo Picasso.

The Munch Museum does an excellent job of explaining Munch’s influences and how his travels shaped his art. 

Practical info

How much are the tickets .

TIP: Entry to the Munch Museum is free for everyone on Wednesdays from 6–9pm!

Members of other selected Scandinavian museums, such as the Louisiana Museum in Denmark and Bergen’s KODE Museum, get free admission too. Art students with a valid ID can also enter for free. 

Entry to the Munch Museum is also free with an Oslo Pass . Read our guide to find out if buying an Oslo Pass can save you money.

An audio guide add-on is available for 49 NOK. If you decide not to get an Oslo pass, you can book museum entry tickets here .

Is the museum open every day? 

The Munch Museum’s normal hours are:

Wednesday–Saturday: 10am–9pm Sunday–Tuesday: 10am–6pm

The whole place is closed on 1st May each year, but it opens from 10am–6pm on most other holidays in the Norwegian calendar, except for Christmas Eve and New Year’s Eve, which have reduced hours.

Where is the Munch Museum? 

The Munch Museum’s address is: 

Edvard Munchs Plass 1, 0194 Oslo, Norway. 

Getting to the Munch Museum 

You can walk to the Munch Museum in under 10 minutes from Oslo Central Station. Alternatively, you can take tram #19 to Bjørvika – it’s a three-minute walk to the museum from there.

Driving around downtown Oslo is quite difficult, and we don’t recommend doing so unless you really have to. Cycling is quite simple, however, and you’ll find parking spots for your bike outside the museum building. 

What do people say about the museum? 

The Munch Museum building is polarising; some people love the exterior design, whereas others view it as an eyesore.

Some users have commended the museum’s layout and how it’s not just all about The Scream .

The view from the top receives lots of positive feedback, and the effort put into showcasing Munch’s personal life – not just his art – is also widely appreciated. 

On the downside, some visitors aren’t huge fans of the café. We think it’s a little overpriced and would recommend eating elsewhere before your visit (you’e right in the centre here, so there are loads of options nearby).

Our verdict: Is the Munch Museum worth it? 

We love the museum’s look and the layout of the galleries. It has a lot of natural light and is very easy to navigate, despite it being such a huge place. 

Each exhibition has been carefully planned, too, and the effort is visible in the end results. The view from the top is also great. 

While the museum has lots of child-friendly activities throughout the year, the exhibitions themselves could perhaps have more things to do for kids. But at the same time, it’s hard to strike a balance when works of art are on show. 

If you’re a Munch fan or even vaguely like art in general, we think that this museum is a great way to spend an afternoon.

Is the Munch Museum suitable for kids? 

The Munch Museum has a selection of kid-friendly activities, but supervising them in the areas with artwork might be a good idea. The museum recommends that you let your children lead and follow their curiosity. 

Is the Munch Museum suitable for people with disabilities? 

The Munch Museum has elevators and spacious floors to accommodate wheelchair users. For those with visual impairments and hearing difficulties, special tours are available. Wheelchair companions can obtain free entry.  

What else can you do nearby? 

The Oslo Opera House is close to the museum, and its roof is worth climbing on for the view of Norway’s largest city. 

Oslofjord tours and sightseeing trips also start not too far away. There are many restaurants and cafés nearby, too. We recommend Godt Brød Munch Brygge for coffee, sweet treats and sandwiches. 

How long do you need at the Munch Museum?

The Munch Museum is quite large, and you should set aside 3–4 hours to cover everything. 

See also: Our guide to Oslo Stockholm’s Abba Museum: is it worth visiting? Is the Vasa Museum worth visiting?

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The new National Museum

On 11 June, 2022 the largest art museum in the Nordic countries opened in Oslo. Here you can experience older and modern art, contemporary art, architecture and design all under one roof and in completely new ways.

• More art for you
• A new venue in the cityscape
• Art in new contexts
• The construction project
• The Light Hall

Making the big move

The new museum is a place for new ideas, inspiration and compelling cultural experiences. We will make art accessible to everyone and reflect the society and the times we live in.

In the new collection exhibition , older and modern art, architecture, design, arts and crafts, and contemporary art will be presented under one roof and in new settings.

With its new, large exhibition areas, the National Museum can now showcase more of its collection than ever before, as well as presenting a rich programme of temporary exhibitions with Norwegian and international artists.

is the number of works that will be shown in the new collection exhibition. This means that the museum will be able to display twice as many works from the art, architecture and design collections as we could in the past.

is the surface area of the new collection exhibition.

is the surface area of the Light Hall at the top of the museum. Here you will find temporary exhibitions in formats the museum was not previously able to present.

is the total surface area of the new National Museum. 

Giving the city a new venue

Spending time at the museum will be a rewarding and inspiring experience.

The museum plaza in front of the main entrance will be a vibrant urban space and meeting arena with an outdoor restaurant, seating and events.

The Light Hall is the building's signature architectural feature. With its 2 400 square metres it will be a spectacular exhibition venue never seen before in Norway.

From the roof terrace you can enjoy stunning views of Rådhusplassen (city hall square), Aker Brygge and the fjord.

The art collection in completely new settings

In the new museum you will find arts and crafts and design from antiquity to the present day. Here, you can familiarise yourself with everything from the unique Baldishol tapestry and Chinese imperial porcelain to fashion through the ages and the unique Norwegian glass cups of the 18th century – not to mention the latest in contemporary design and arts and crafts.

The second floor is mainly devoted to visual arts from the 15th century to the present day. Among the works you will find here are Dutch and Flemish landscape paintings and still lifes from the 17th century, Johan Christian Dahl's magnificent landscape paintings from the first half of the 19th century, the Munch room with the iconic «The Scream», and the museum's highlights of Norwegian and international contemporary art.

The exhibition will show that art and culture are a central part of history, society and the lives we lead today.

Art, architecture and design meet across art forms and historical periods, allowing you to hear new stories and see new connections.

Read more about the collection exhibition here

What does the art scene of Norway look like right now?

The very first exhibition in the Light Hall takes a new look at contemporary art in Norway. One of the selection criteria for the exhibition is that the artists are not already represented in the museum's collections.

Read more about the opening exhibition in the Light Hall here

About the construction project

• Builder: Statsbygg
• Architects: Klaus Schuwerk (Kleihues + Schuwerk)
• Technical advisors: Rambøll
• Client: The Norwegian Ministry of Culture

When the new National Museum opens to the public in 2022, it will be the largest cultural centre in the Nordic countries. The museum is centrally located on Oslo’s Rådhusplassen (city hall square), making it a perfect place to stop by for an unforgettable cultural experience.

The new National Museum is part of a major project to develop Oslo, opening up the city where it meets the fjord.

The materials should stand the test of time, so that the building can age with patina and dignity.  Klaus Schuwerk, architect

Introducing the Light Hall

• With its 2 400 square metres, the Light Hall will be a spectacular exhibition venue, the first of its kind in Norway.
• 9 000 energy-efficient, adjustable LED lights within the wall will provide a muted light while clearly highlighting the museum in the cityscape.
• The Light Hall will be used for the museum's temporary exhibitions.
• With a ceiling height of approximately seven metres and a length of 130 metres, the hall will be able to accommodate exhibitions on a scale not previously feasible in Norway.
• Depending on requirements, the Light Hall can be used as a single large exhibition space, or two or three smaller ones. Exhibitions can use the full height of the space. Specially designed installations can be included to fill the entire hall – or parts of it. It will be possible to reconstruct houses and even streets.
• If required, the Light Hall can be completely darkened.
• The very first exhibition in the Light Hall will be a declaration of love to Norwegian contemporary art . In this exhibition, the hall will be filled with new Norwegian contemporary art, selected following a comprehensive mapping effort across the country.
• The exterior walls of the Light Hall are made of marble glass, a thin layer of marble between two panes of glass. The marble glass was chosen to give the facade a distinctive character and will have the same translucent effect as alabaster.

Over 100 000 objects must be moved before the new National Museum opens in 2022.

The National Museum's collections include paintings, sculptures, drawings, arts and crafts objects, design objects, architectural models and installations. Everything must be documented, conserved and carefully packed before finding its new home in the pristine new museum.

Hundreds of moving trips

The storage facilities of the new National Museum cover 7 000 square metres and, together with the exhibition area of 14 000 square metres, will house most of the collections. Several hundred trips will be needed to move the collections to their new surroundings.

Some works have not been exhibited in the museum for many years while others have never previously been shown.

These works need a health check; some will also require conservation work. In total, the condition of around 6 500 items will have to assessed before they can be packed up and moved to the collection exhibition in the new museum.

The museum's prints and drawings collection will also be available to the public in the brand new reading room .

Read more about the museum's new logo and visual identity and learn how they were created.  

Read the clarification from the architect, Klaus Schuwerk here.

Sculpture conservation work. Photo: Nasjonalmuseet / Annar Bjørgli

Emanuel Vigeland’s stained-glass windows being taken down. Photo: Nasjonalmuseet / Frode Larsen

Dronning Maud's blouse unpacked. Photo: Nasjonalmuseet / Frode Larsen

Museum conservators are taking care of a wide variety of objects before the move. Photo: Nasjonalmuseet / Frode Larsen

The magnificent gilded leather wall covering being cleaned. Photo: Nasjonalmuseet / Annar Bjørgli

Follow the journey!

Want to know more about what happens behind the scenes, art on the move, and the experiences to be had in the new National Museum?

Stories from the museum

I Call It Art

The Collection

5 000 artworks are getting a checkup

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