Review: The National Museum - Nasjonalmuseet

When Norway’s National Gallery, which had been housed in the same building in Oslo since 1882, closed in early 2019, this effectively shut the door on the public’s access to one of the world’s most recognizable paintings by Norway's most famous artist. Thankfully, as of last June, Edvard Munch fans can once again see what is believed to be the artist’s first version of The Scream, now housed in a sleek new space. Norway’s National Museum brings the collections of the former National Gallery, the Museum of Contemporary Art, and the Norwegian Museum of Decorative Arts and Design together under one roof. And what an enormous roof it is–with around 140,000 square feet of exhibition space, it’s easily the largest museum in the Nordic countries. The museum’s collection emphasizes Norwegian art through the ages–of course Munch, and also traditional and modern works by indigenous Sámi artists. But there’s plenty of room for international heavy-hitters like Louise Bourgeois and Nan Goldin–especially in the sprawling Light Hall, a 25,000-square-foot space for temporary exhibits lit up by 9,000 energy-efficient LED lights.