After exploring the lows and highs of Oslo, it was time to head indoors.
Our first stop would be the Munch Museum. You’ve probably seen Edvard Munch’s painting The Scream in some form or another as you’ve made your way through life. Hell, the killer from the Scream movies, Ghostface, has a literal face based on that painting. It’s that iconic.
You know the painting? The one with the person on the pier with their hands on their face, uh, screaming. Yeah, you know it! Anyway, it’s in a massive building home to many Munch works of art, among others.
There it is! You see that building that looks like it is leaning? That’s the Munch Museum. It’s a cool piece of architecture that truly helps distinguish the Oslo waterfront.
And here we are from the angled part of the building, looking down on the opera house, Ferris wheel, and the rest of the city. It’s a stunning view.
Now, the museum holds more than works of art made by Munch. They curate for a local and global audience. Several rotating exhibit halls are showcasing local Norwegian talent. Some of it is a bit too modern for my liking, but I can still appreciate the effort and skill it took to make these works of art.
All that being said, we were really there to see The Scream. I mean, I think most people who visit the museum are there to see it. They do something a bit different, and refreshing from my perspective, when it comes to presenting the work of art. Three versions are on hand at the museum. There is a painting, a drawing, and a print version. There is always one of those on display at any given time. The other two remain in darkness until it is their time. And I mean that literally. There is a timed rotation for the art.
During our visit, we were only able to see two of the versions, but it was still enjoyable to see the work.
I prefer the drawing version. There is something in the linework that truly highlights the screaminess (I…don’t think that’s a word, but I am going with it) of the subject.
There is another aspect of the museum that I also found enjoyable, even if it is geared toward children/younger visitors. Dotted throughout the museum are little windows. In those windows are tiny dioramas/works of art that are only seen by crouching (if you’re an adult), peering through a small window, and pressing a button to illuminate the scene.
I am not even sure my partner knew about this while we were walking around. She might have seen me peering into columns and then taking a photo, and thought, “What is this man doing???” I was looking at art!
After getting our fill of Munch, it was time to mosey on to our next stop.
The Deichman Library is Norway’s oldest and largest public library. It’s also free to enter, so if you’re looking for something to do that does not require any cash, this is the place. It’s also a great spot to rest your legs and treat your eyes to some wonderful architecture and interior design.
Taking in some culture, and seeing hundreds and thousands (no, not the things that go on Fairy Bread, Australians) of books that were not in English, it was time to move on to our next destination.
The Nobel Peace Center was our next stop. If you remember from an earlier piece I wrote about Stockholm, we went into a Nobel Prize Museum and saw memorabilia from various prize winners. This museum is just for the Peace Prize recipients.
The museum is mainly a home for the Peace Prize recipients’ work, told through multimedia. Photos, videos, short films, and various works of art depict the achievements of different laureates over the years.
There is even an exhibit where you can see who was awarded the prize during the year you were born, and you can even take an interactive quiz to see what your “Peace Personality” is. I was determined to be ‘The Negotiator,’ like Jimmy Carter or Martti Ahtisaari. “You are considerate and solution-focused. You manage to create dialogue and collaboration between people, and you use these abilities to improve everyday life for those around you.“
Is all of that true? Who can say.
Toward the end of the tour, we could finally lay our eyes on the Nobel Prize itself. Oooh!
All of that walking sure made us hungry and thirsty. Was our food destination close to the Nobel museum? No. Were we going to walk there? Also no. Was a taxi in our future? Yes.
Welcome to Mathallen Oslo! It’s a food hall focused on small, local Norwegian businesses. Here you can find something for everyone. Dessert? They got it. Korean? Yup. Aquavit? Oh boy, yes, they do.
What is Aquavit, you ask? It burns.
It’s not like Malört, it’s better, actually. Aquavit is a distilled spirit made famous in Scandinavia. Countries have their own spin on it, adding different spices and herbs, but each variety we tried definitely cleared my sinuses. So they all have that in common!
If you are pressed for time or cannot decide what to eat while in Oslo, Mathallen is the place to go. It will satisfy every craving and then some. It’s also a great way to support a local business.