9 Highlights from the Summer at MUNCH

1. Take A unique journey through the art of Edvard Munch

At MUNCH you can always experience Edvard Munch's diverse artistic career in our ongoing collection-based exhibitions. Here you can discover unknown gems and get close to world-famous masterpieces such as The Scream, The Sun, Madonna and Vampire. This summer, you can also experience Edvard Munch’s historic decoration for the Freia chocolate factory for the first time.

The Edvard Munch and the Chocolate Factory exhibition, connects Munch's interest in creating art for public spaces with themes of cacao, workers’ rights and women’s emancipation.

2. Don’t miss the Scream

With its iconic status and clear symbolism, there is little doubt that The Scream is a highlight for many visitors. You’ll find three versions at MUNCH - a painting, a drawing and a print. One of these is always on display, in the meantime the two others rest in the dark. All versions of the motif are made on cardboard or paper, which makes them more fragile than oil paintings on canvas. By protecting them and limiting the time they are exposed to light, the museum ensures that future generations can enjoy and marvel of Munch's powerful motif.

Prepare your visit with the story behind The Scream

3. Discover feminist icon Paula Rego

For the first time in the Nordic region, discover the full breadth of Paula Rego’s figurative, poetic and political practice in this captivating exhibition, featuring more than 140 works. Explore how Rego engaged with themes of power and vulnerability, desire and anger, through a striking blend of humour and gravity.

4. Connect in playful new ways with Munch's drawings

Create your own digital drawings and discover how AI finds similar works from the collection. In Connect the Lines, we invite you to use your creativity to explore Munch’s drawings in our digital archive. As you draw on a tablet, the system uses artificial intelligence (AI) to find a Munch drawing that resembles yours – helping you connect with thousands of works that have so far remained largely protected in the museum’s archives.

5. Eat and drink in spectacular surroundings

When you’ve finished exploring our exhibitions, head to the top floor and indulge, where sweeping city views meet a menu of classic continental dishes infused with nostalgic flavours.

Read more about our cafe, restaurant and bar

6. relax among huge paintings

In the Monumental exhibition you can experience The Sun and Edvard Munch's largest paintings, which measure up to 50 square meters and are so large they had to be hoisted through a hole in the museum wall. In this specially built double-height gallery, you will also find a discovery table where you will be able to explore natural materials and discover more about the processes linked to Munch’s monumental paintings.

7. See Munch's own paintbrushes ... and Say hi to the little mouse at Ekely

Did you know that Munch bequeathed all his assets - including furniture, clothes and painting equipment - when the Municipality of Oslo inherited the collection? We have objects on display that’s never been exhibited before. You can also experience a model of Munch's home, Ekely, where he lived for the last 30 years of his life. Here you can touch, test and explore everything you see.

In this exhibition there also lives a little mouse with his very own life. As you follow the small paths in the exhibition, you’ll find mouse holes in furniture, boxes and stairs. Discover scenes with "Herr Storm" in the lead role.

Read more: Activities for kids in the galleries 

8. Meet the mother

From the outdoor cafe terrace, you look straight at the nine-metre high bronze sculpture The Mother, created by the well-known British artist Tracey Emin. The sculpture depicts a large, kneeling figure carefully holding something we cannot see. It is located on Inger Munch's wharf, in the middle of a beautiful flower meadow from seeds collected in the inner Oslofjord. Around the flower meadow, there are great opportunities for both sunbathing and swimming, or just taking a stroll.

9. Take a walk by the fjord

MUNCH is located in Bjørvika, one of Europe's coolest neighbourhoods. With coffee shops, bars, restaurants, saunas and stores you can spend your whole day here. Maybe even go for a dip in the fjord?