In the past two years, due to the impact of the epidemic, museums and art galleries around the world have experienced long-term closures. With a significant decrease in visitors, some cultural institutions have unfortunately had to permanently close, leaving the art world deeply saddened. However, after experiencing a low point, there is now an encouraging news coming from the European art world – the largest art museum in the Nordic countries will open in the capital of Norway, Oslo, in June!
The National Gallery of Norway (Nasjonalgalleriet) was established as early as 2003, and is composed of different galleries such as the Museum of Contemporary Art, the National Gallery of Norway, and the Museum of Decorative Arts in Norway. However, as the number of collections increased, the exhibition space became insufficient. The local government deliberately built a brand new museum building that is in line with sustainable development – The new National Museum, which will present more distinctive exhibitions and rich collections to the audience in the future.
The total area of the new National Museum in Oslo, Norway is 54,600 square meters, with approximately 90 exhibition halls, as well as a library, restaurant, meeting rooms, rooftop terrace, and cinema screening complex space.
In addition to the original collection, about 6500 new pieces have been added. With its newly created large exhibition area, the museum can now display twice as many collections as before, and will plan more exciting exhibitions with more Norwegian and international artists. In the new collection exhibition, classical and contemporary art, architecture, design, and decorative arts will all be presented under one roof, covering a wide range of items including paintings, sculptures, sketches, decorative arts, design pieces, architectural models, and installations.
It is worth noting that the museum has intentionally created a large exhibition space called the “Hall of Light,” which covers an area of 2400 square meters. Inside, nearly 9,000 adjustable LED lights are installed, emitting dazzling light. The “Hall of Light” can serve as a large exhibition hall, or it can be divided into two or three smaller exhibition halls. With a ceiling height of about 7 meters, it will be able to accommodate large installation art and host large-scale exhibitions that were previously impossible.
The exterior of the “Hall of Light” is made of marble glass. After nightfall, the interior lighting effects can be seen from the outside, turning the building itself into a piece of architectural art that embellishes the city.
After the opening of the National Museum, it will definitely become a world-renowned cultural experience venue. Everyone is looking forward to what kind of exciting exhibitions the opening exhibition will bring to the audience!
Image source and learn more: The new National Museum
