Press release -
MUNCH will now open in Spring 2021
MUNCH will now open in Spring 2021
The planned opening of the MUNCH in the autumn of 2020 must be postponed until the spring of 2021 due to the remaining work and lack of takeover of the building from the contractor. Delayed deliveries of fire and security doors, central operating systems and Covid-19 have led to a delayed takeover of the new MUNCH from the responsible contractor to the client.
‘We are late, but at the same time well underway to solve the challenges we have experienced with performance and stable operation related to the climate systems in the building’, says project director in Municipal Undertaking for Cultural and Sports Facilities, Per Egil Steen.
The new museum has an advanced climate system to meet the requirements for storage and exhibition of art. Testing and adjustment of the climate systems has not been completed, and the contractual requirements for stable operation are currently not met.
‘We follow up the supplier closely, and work together to find good solutions’, says Per Egil Sten, and emphasizes that Municipal Undertaking for Cultural and Sports Facilities will take over the building from the contractor when the climate systems are confirmed to be stable.
The new museum building will provide optimal conditions for own and borrowed collections. The relocation of art to the new museum can only be initiated when the climate systems have been documented and confirmed as reliable.
‘We understand well that the news about the postpone opening is disappointing for many. It is for us too. At the same time, it is absolutely crucial that temperatures and humidity are in accordance with the requirements for storage and exhibition of art’, says Stein Olav Henriksen, director at MUNCH.
MUNCH is looking forward with excitement and anticipation to moving into a new building and will continue to offer art experiences at MUNCH Tøyen while they wait for the new museum to open in Bjørvika.
‘The new museum will be fantastic with both our own collections as well as international exhibitions of world format’, says Stein Olav Henrichsen, director at MUNCH.
MUNCH manages the largest collection of Edvard Munch's art in the world, which is considered Norway's most important contribution to the Norwegian Cultural Heritage.
MUNCH is home to the world's largest collection of works by Norwegian artist Edvard Munch. In Autumn 2020, MUNCH will open in a brand new building on Oslo’s waterfront. The bespoke structure, designed by estudio Herreros, will house more than 26,000 works that Edvard Munch bequeathed to the City of Oslo. The museum also manages collections donated by Rolf Stenersen, Amaldus Nielsen and Ludvig Ravensberg.
The new museum will trace the artist’s profound influence both on modern art and on artists through to the present day. Alongside displays of iconic artworks from the renowned permanent collection, temporary exhibitions will show Edvard Munch’s lasting influence in his own contemporary society, as well as on today’s generation of artists.
Visitors will experience the highlights of Edvard Munch’s oeuvre, in parallel with a wide-ranging programme of cultural events and experiences for visitors of all ages. From its location in Bjørvika, with unparalleled views of the Oslo Fjord, the museum will offer an extensive program of art and cultural experiences across thirteen floors.
