Kids and art in Oslo

Our Local Expert Says:

A must-see-and-do for kids visiting Oslo

Description:

"It is said that children are people. But, people do not exist without a culture. Children are people who belong to the future. And they have a right to their own culture, their own art and history". Those are the words of Rafael Goldin (1920 - 1994), film director and founder of the International Museum of Children's Art, Oslo

Located in a quaint old house in the residential neighborhood Slemdal, the International Museum of Children's Art is the world's first full scale museum of its kind. Kids from more than 180 countries have created the paintings, drawings, sculptures and textile art that seemingly cover every inch of this museum.

The museum is interactive, so visiting children can participate in art workshops or play instruments. Take metro no 1 from the city center to the Lille Frøen stop. Open Tue - Thu 9:30 am - 2 pm, Sun 11 am - 4 pm. Admission fee: NOK 50 for adults, 30 for children/students/seniors, free with the Oslo Pass.

Our Local Expert Says:

Frognerparken is Oslo's best-loved attraction!

Description:

Locals love strolling in Oslo's Frogner Park. Or walking their dogs, jogging, skateboarding, sunbathing, listening to concerts or enjoying ice cream or a beer in the cafes. Children run around, play in fountains or climb the statues of sculptor Gustav Vigeland. 212 bronze and granite nudes depicting all phases of life are displayed. In summer, Frogner Park is particularly lively. The park is open 24/7 all year; admission is free.

Our Local Expert Says:

You can't visit Oslo without seeing Edvard Munch's world-famous painting The Scream

Description:

This museum houses Norway's greatest and largest collection of art. Most visitors flock here to see Edvard Munch's The Scream, one of four versions, this one painted in 1893. This painting was stolen in 1994 and, like the version taken from the Munch Museum in 2004, was subsequently recovered. The Scream, which is reproduced in countless posters around the world, still inspires artists today and continues to work its way into popular culture. For example, in a 2006 episode of The Simpsons, Bart and his friends steal a copy of The Scream in a parody of the real thefts.

Munch has paintings here beyond The Scream, a total of 58 of his works, some of them among his most celebrated, including The Dance of Life, Moonlight, and Ashes. Most of Munch's works on show were painted in the closing years of the 19th century. There are also several self-portraits of Munch -- see why he was called "the handsomest man in Norway."

The leading Norwegian Romantic landscape painter Johan Christian Dahl (1788-1857) is in fine form here, but we find his paintings a little too sentimental. Our favorite is Christian Krohg, who painted it like it was, drawing inspiration from sailors to prostitutes. Scandinavian...

Our Local Expert Says:

Oslo's most spectacular building

Description:

The Oslo Opera House is home of the Norwegian National Opera and Ballet. The innovative white marble building is designed by Norwegian architectural firm Snøhetta (of Alexandria Library fame) and like an ice floe, the roof gradually tapers into the waters of the Oslo fjord. This is an opera house for the people; anyone is free to hang around and walk on the roof. Fantastic fjord views from the rooftop.

Our Local Expert Says:

Bonus: an excellent short black-and-white film of Ibsen's life.

Description:

Henrik Ibsen's apartment, where the famous Norwegian author lived from 1895 until his death in 1906, has been restored and transformed into a museum. The study contains his original furniture and belongings, and the rest of the apartment has been restored to its original appearance. Throughout the year, the museum arranges lectures and theatrical performances, with a new program every spring and autumn. There are also temporary exhibitions. In order to gain entry to the apartment you must be on a guided tour. Tours begin on an hourly basis, and last for approximately thirty minutes.

Our Local Expert Says:

The Munch Museum gives you a total immersion in Munch's workds and fascinating life

Description:

Upon his death in 1944, Norwegian painter Edvard Munch bequeathed his works to the city of Oslo. The especially built museum opened in 1963 and it's about to move to Bjørvika, next to the new Opera house. Munchmuseet is home to about half of his paintings, as well as an extensive collection of drawings and prints. Free guided tours are given in english every day at 1 pm in July and August. There's a well-stocked gift shop and the Café Munch on the premises.

Description:

Kunstnernes Hus was built in 1930 by Norwegian architects Blakstad and Munthe-Kaas, and represents a central trend in Norwegian architecture. The four exhibition rooms are solely used for temporary exhibitions of Norwegian and international contemporary art. One of the greatest events of the year is the Annual National Autumn Show, where a jury selects the exhibitors in the show from artists (and would-be artists) from all over the country. At the entrance you will find the popular restaurant Arcimboldo, with a nice view of Slottsparken..

Description:

This is one of those special nuggets art lovers stumble across in their travels, wondering why such a place isn't better known. Actually, this privately funded museum has been around since 1993, when Norway's leading architects and designers constructed the stunningly designed building to showcase both Norwegian and international post-World War II art. Works by '60s icon Yoko Ono can be seen here. The equally controversial British artist, a blood-and-guts type of guy, Damien Hirst, is also on view with his installation of Mother and Child Divided. The changing exhibitions are often drawn from the museum's permanent collection, much of which is kept in storage. On our last visit, we feasted on another British blood-and-gore type, Francis Bacon, along with the gentler Lucian Freud and Gerhard Richter. Introduce yourself to some locally known Norwegian artists of great stature, especially Knut Rose, Bjørn Carlsen, and Arne Ekeland, our favorites. If you prefer your sculptures oversize, wander through the garden, with such works as Niki de St. Phalle's sparrow. Allow at least 40 minutes.