Art museum · 1921 · Frogner, Oslo

The Vigeland Museum

The Vigeland Museum is a museum in Frogner, Oslo, dedicated entirely to the life and work of Norwegian sculptor Gustav Vigeland (1869–1943). Housed in the purpose-built studio complex that the City of Oslo constructed for Vigeland between 1921 and 1923 — and which became his home and workshop until his death — the museum holds the world’s most comprehensive collection of his work, including plaster models, drawings, woodcuts, and the full archive of his artistic legacy. It sits adjacent to Frogner Park, where the celebrated Vigeland Installation stands.

At a glance

Type: Monographic art museum
Period: Studio complex built 1921–1923; opened as museum after Vigeland’s death in 1943
Style: Historicist brick architecture; purpose-built artist studio
Location: Frogner, Oslo, Norway · 59.9229° N, 10.7001° E

Overview

The Vigeland Museum is dedicated to Gustav Vigeland in Frogner, Oslo, located outside Frogner Park, which includes the Vigeland installation with sculptures by the artist. Inside the park, close to the museum, is Frogner Manor with Oslo Museum and the Henriette Wegner Pavilion, a small art gallery. The museum preserves Vigeland’s studio and living quarters largely as he left them, offering an intimate record of his working method.

History

In 1921 the City of Oslo struck a landmark agreement with Vigeland: the municipality would provide him with a large studio residence on Nobels gate, and in exchange Vigeland would donate his entire artistic output — all models, casts, drawings, and finished works — to the city upon his death. The studio complex, designed in a historicist brick style, was completed in 1923 and Vigeland moved in immediately, living and working there until he died in 1943. The building was converted into a public museum shortly after his death, preserving the studios and archive.

What you see

The museum’s galleries hold over 12,000 drawings, 420 woodcuts, and around 1,650 sculptures in plaster and cast iron — representing the full creative arc from Vigeland’s early Symbolist reliefs to the monumental Monolith studies. Visitors can enter the high-ceilinged main sculpture hall where large plaster models for the Frogner Park installation are displayed, and see the intimate upper rooms where he lived. A section devoted to his graphic work reveals a less-known side of his artistic production.

Cultural significance

As the largest single-artist museum in Norway, the Vigeland Museum documents one of the 20th century’s most prolific figurative sculptors and preserves the unique contractual model — artist donates all work to the city — that enabled the creation of Vigeland Park. The agreement is still cited as a pioneering example of public patronage of contemporary art.

Practical information

Address: Nobels gate 32, 0268 Oslo, Norway
Hours: Check official website for current opening times
Admission: Fee applies; check official website for current rates
Website: vigeland.museum.no

Getting there

Take tram lines 12 or 19 to the Vigelandsparken stop; the museum entrance on Nobels gate is a two-minute walk. Bus line 20 also serves the area. From central Oslo, the museum is approximately 3 km west of the city centre.

Sources & resources

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The Vigeland Museum (Norwegian: Vigelandmuseet) is a museum dedicated to Gustav Vigeland in Frogner, Oslo. It is located outside Frogner Park, which includes the Vigeland installation with sculptures by Gustav Vigeland.The museum is part of the cultural department of the Oslo municipality.



The museum is dedicated to Norway&#39;s most famous sculptor, Gustav Vigeland (1869&ndash;1943). The museum is Vigeland&#39;s former studio and residence. His urn and his ashes can be found in the museum tower. He designed his bronze urn and funerary monument, which sits above his 2nd floor apartment. The Vigeland Museum celebrated Gustav Vigeland&#39;s 150th anniversary in 2019.



Until 2020 the museum used the Norwegian spelling Vigeland-museet; the spelling was changed to Vigelandmuseet after a long time when people often spelled it Vigelandsmuseet (with s).

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Today, the museum hosts a permanent exhibition that features Vigeland art and life, and temporary exhibits featuring contemporary or historical three-dimensional art. The Vigeland Museum announces the tours in the apartment on their web page. Tickets must be booked in advance.



The building, which is one of Norway&#39;s leading examples of neoclassical architecture, was designed by architect Lorentz Ree. Its story began in 1919, when sculptor Gustav Vigeland made an offer to the Oslo City Council to donate his works in the future. The total body of Vigeland&#39;s works consisted not only of sculptures, but also of woodcuts, drawings, sketches and photographs, as well as letters, other writings and a personal library.



When a part of the city of Oslo where Gustav Vigeland lived and had his atelier was demolished due to urban planning, an agreement was reached between the artist and the city of Oslo: Vigeland wanted an atelier. The atelier could be rebuilt as a museum after his death. Vigeland&#39;s third floor apartment has also been preserved as part of the museum.



Construction of the aspiring museum began in 1921, as soon as a contract between Vigeland and Oslo was formalized. The architects were Lorentz Harboe Ree and Carl Buch and the style was neoclassical. Vigeland moved in 1923, a year before the central part and the north wing were completed. The south wing was completed in 1930. The atelier was used by both Vigeland and other artists.



Vigeland died in 1943, during the difficult economic times of World War II. The building was opened as a public museum in 1947, but the official opening was on June 4, 1950. The opening was partly thanks to the budget surplus of the municipal film company Oslo Kinematografer. The museum is still owned by the Oslo municipality via its etat of culture, and the current director of the museum is Jarle Str&oslash;modden.

https://culturalheritageonline.com/places/the-vigeland-museum-l4137/

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