The city hall in Oslo approved the construction of a new Munch Museum

Oslo - The city council of the Norwegian capital Oslo has approved the construction of a new Munch Museum after four years of negotiations, which is intended to be a dignified institution showcasing the works of this world-famous Expressionist painter. Edvard Munch bequeathed a vast collection of his works to Oslo after his death in 1944, including two of the four versions of the painting The Scream. A different version of The Scream recently became the most expensive painting ever sold at auction when a buyer from the USA paid $120 million (approximately 2.3 billion CZK) for it.
    Politicians in Oslo have faced criticism for failing to take proper care of Munch's rare legacy. The current building of the Munch Museum, constructed after the war, is deemed completely inadequate by experts. The small museum is located in the Oslo district of Tøyen, which is considered not an attractive part of the city. Most of the unexhibited works from the collection, which includes 1,100 paintings, 3,000 drawings, and 18,000 prints, are reportedly stored in damp basement rooms.
    A scandalous event also occurred in 2004 when perpetrators stole The Scream and Madonna from the Munch Museum. After some time, the police found both works. Furthermore, the museum in Tøyen struggles to attract visitors; only about 126,000 come each year. In contrast, Munch's recent exhibitions in Paris, Frankfurt, and London were seen by a million people.
    According to plans that were definitively approved by the Oslo city council on Wednesday, the new building is to be erected by the Oslo fjord near the new Norwegian Opera. The construction of the museum is estimated to cost 1.6 billion Norwegian kroner (5.4 billion CZK), and it is expected to open in 2018.
    The building will be designed by the Spanish firm Herreros Arquitectos, which won the architectural competition for the design of the new Munch Museum in 2009. Their project is named Lambda, in line with the shape of the planned building.
    The decision regarding the new museum comes just in time, as December of this year marks the 150th anniversary of the birth of this famous artist. Delays in reaching an agreement over the past few years were caused by disputes regarding construction costs and whether the new glass complex should be located in the dilapidated Tøyen district, like the existing museum.
    Two political parties expressed concerns that moving the Munch Museum to another part of the city would further contribute to the decline of Tøyen, which is currently known primarily as a district with a high concentration of immigrants. These political parties requested that the new museum building become a foundation for the revitalization of the Tøyen district. Another party argued that constructing an entirely new museum building is too expensive and that it would be better for Munch's paintings to be incorporated into the collections of the Norwegian National Gallery.
    The recently concluded agreement, which includes the establishment of the museum in the modern Bjørvika district by the sea, also contains a commitment from the city council to modernize the Tøyen area. Among other things, a new water park along with an open-air theater and concert stage is planned to be built there.
    "Oslo is the fastest-growing city in Europe, and the modern Munch Museum is part of this growth. It will play a key role in the new appearance of the Norwegian capital," said Oslo commissioner for culture and industry Hallstein Bjercke.