Oslo Art Tour: Top 5 Art Museums and Exhibitions in Oslo, Norway

The Norwegian capital of Oslo has established itself as an arts destination over the years, boasting both world-class art museums and some more unique outdoor sculpture parks. This post lists some of the top places to see art in Oslo, Norway!

Top art museums and exhibitions in Oslo, Norway

Let’s get started with some of my favorite art museums and exhibitions in Oslo!

The National Museum

The National Museum is the largest museum in the Nordics and features exhibitions on Nordic design, arts and crafts, and fine art. It boasts a permanent collection of around 6,500 objects

A highlight of the first floor of the National Museum is the retrospective of decades of Nordic pop culture, with a focus on art as design. The second floor houses the museum’s collection of fine and modern art, including a collection of paintings by Edvard Munch. You can also see a version of Munch’s The Scream at the National Museum.

The National Museum is open from 10 am to 9 pm every day except for Monday, and adult tickets cost around 180 NOK.

The Astrup Fearnley Museum of Modern Art

The Astrup Fearnley Museum of Modern Art is not only one of the best museums in Oslo but also one of the top modern art museums in Scandinavia. In addition to its permanent collections, this museum hosts several temporary exhibits each year, so you can almost always find something new to see!

The museum is open Tuesday through Sunday, and ticket prices can be found here.

The MUNCH Museum

The  MUNCH museum opened right on the waterfront of Oslo Fjord in October 2021. It pays tribute to the art of Norwegian artist Edvard Munch, an iconic Norwegian painter and printmaker best known for his most famous work, The Scream.

The museum has three versions of The Scream itself – a painting, a drawing, and a print. It rotates these for display so as to keep them in the best possible condition (exposure to light can eventually damage artworks made of certain materials). A fourth version of the painting is housed in the National Museum.

The MUNCH museum has plenty to see besides The Scream, of course. It features a massive collection of work from throughout Munch’s 60-year career. In addition, there is a restaurant and sky bar at the top of the museum from which you can admire panoramic views of Oslo fjord and the nearby Oslo Opera House.

Ticket prices and opening hours for the MUNCH museum can be found here.

Vigeland Sculpture Park 

The claim to fame of Vigeland Sculpture Park, located in Frogner Park, is that it is the world’s largest sculpture park featuring a single artist. It contains an impressive 200+ sculptures by artist Gustav Vigeland and is one of the top tourist attractions in Oslo. Vigeland Sculpture Park is open 24 hours a day all year long and is a lovely spot for a walk even aside from the sculptures – especially in the summer months.

The famous centerpiece of Vigeland Sculpture Park, pictured in the image on the right above, is called The Monolith. This sculpture was carved out of a single stone block and towers 17 meters above the ground. The Monolith depicts 121 human figures representing different stages of human life.

Ekeberg Sculpture Park

In addition to Vigeland Sculpture Park, Oslo also has a second sculpture park called Ekeberg Sculpture Park.

The art collection in Ekeberg Sculpture Park includes both classical sculptures from the 19th and early 20th centuries and more modern sculptures and installations by contemporary artists. The park is open every day year-round, and admission is free. Guided tours are also available – you can contact park management here to book.

A fun fact about this park is that it looks out over Oslo from the perspective immortalized by Edvard Munch in The Scream!

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I hope you enjoy this list of some of the best places to see art in Oslo! There is so much to see, so take your time experiencing all the arts and culture that Oslo has to offer. If you’re interested in experiencing the arts in Oslo, don’t forget to read up on whether the Oslo Pass is right for you – it includes admission to many of the museums listed above.

You might also be interested in my post on the top museums in Oslo or in learning some fun facts about the city!

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