Spanish architecture practice estudio Herreros' long-awaited Munch Museum in Oslo, Norway is opening its doors on October 22, 2021. 

Since the selection of estudio Herreros to design the museum after receiving the top prize in the Munch Museum competition in 2009, the project has faced delay after delay starting with political hurdles regarding its design and location. Additionally, the museum was set to open in the spring of 2020 but was halted due to delays in the delivery of fire and security doors and the failure of the indoor climate system to meet required standards. The Covid-19 pandemic pushed back the opening even further. 

The Munch Museum features the most extensive collection of works by famed Norwegian artist Edvard Munch, with over 26,700 pieces being showcased. The collection was donated to the city of Oslo upon Munch’s death. The artist’s most well-known work is The Scream. 

The 13-story, 60-meter-tall structure is located in Bjørvika, a revitalized port district on the edge of Oslo’s fjord. It offers 26,313 square meters of space, including 11 exhibition halls. The design is based on the idea of a tower-shaped museum, where the main functions are organized vertically. As described on the museum’s website, “The large number of gallery spaces distributed over an even larger number of storeys allows for wide variations in ceiling heights and room sizes, enabling optimum spaces to be allocated for both permanent and temporary exhibitions.”

The façade is clad in recycled, perforated aluminum panels of varying degrees of translucency. The tower’s distinctive leaning top section makes it a visible landmark from all sides while featuring an observation area with expansive views of Oslo. 

The museum sits on a three-story podium and is divided into two zones: one static and one dynamic. The static zone is an enclosed concrete structure, with functions relating to the protection of the art. The dynamic zone, which features the transparent façade and views, is the space that visitors will inhabit. 

Sustainability is at the core of the museum’s design. It uses energy-saving, natural ventilation and the enclosed east-facing façade allows the building to avoid excessive heating during the summer. The Munch Museum was planned in accordance with Oslo’s FutureBuilt criteria, which requires that buildings generate half as much greenhouse gas emissions compared to conventional modern buildings in relation to transport, energy consumption, and choice of materials. 

It was built using low-carbon concrete and recycled steel, and its loadbearing structure was designed with a technical lifetime of 200 years. To top it off, the design of the museum follows Passive House standards, so energy consumption is reduced through additional heat recovery, well-insulated windows, and high-efficiency insulation. 

In addition to Munch’s collection, the museum will also host concerts, literature readings, and performance and art workshops. The Munch Museum’s opening exhibition is called The Loneliness of the Soul, which will explore Edvard Munch’s influence on UK artist Tracey Emin.