Renzo Piano's contemporary art museum on the Tjuvholmen waterfront — twin sail-like timber roofs sweeping over a canal, with sculpture, a boardwalk, and a small beach spilling out toward the fjord. Piano gave the city a museum that reads as part of the harbor itself, its glass and wood and water blurring the line between gallery and shoreline. The collection inside is strong on international contemporary art. For visitors, it's a double pleasure: serious art within, and one of Oslo's loveliest pieces of waterfront architecture without, ideally combined with a walk along the Tjuvholmen promenade and a pause at the beach.
Location
Tjuvholmen, Oslo
Map
Insider Intel
Walk through the sculpture park first — Koons, Gormley, and others sited along the canal. The building is split into two structures connected by a glass bridge. The collection rotates but expect high-profile contemporary names. The location on Tjuvholmen means you can combine this with waterfront walks and lunch at nearby restaurants.
Afternoon for natural light in the galleries. Summer for sitting in the sculpture park. The museum is small enough for a 90-minute visit.
Opened in 2012, funded by the Astrup Fearnley family (shipping fortune). The collection was private before the museum opened to the public. Renzo Piano designed the building to integrate with the Tjuvholmen urban development. The museum is located in one of the wealthiest neighborhoods in Oslo — the architecture and urban planning are part of the experience. Admission price is reasonable for a private contemporary collection of this quality.