The Vigeland Museum

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's most famous sculptor, Gustav Vigeland (1869–1943). The museum is Vigeland'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'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).

 

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'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'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'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 Strømodden.

Map: The Vigeland Museum