Munch Museum Opens in Oslo with Eight Versions of The Scream

After more than a decade of preparation and delays, the Munch Museum (MUNCH) has opened in Oslo, Norway. The striking vertical tower on the city's waterfront is one of the world's largest museums dedicated to a single artist. Designed by the award-winning studio Herreros, the building features eleven exhibition halls of varying shapes and sizes, with conservation and research facilities open to the public. The museum fulfills Edvard Munch's wish that his art be appreciated in its original context, 77 years after his death. It houses eight versions of The Scream (a painting, a drawing, and six lithographs), the monumental mural The Sun, a series of photographic self-portraits, printing plates, lithographs, woodcuts, and thousands of letters and personal items. The museum also hosts guest exhibitions, such as a Tracey Emin show that opened on October 22. The architecture is inspired by the urban regeneration of Fjord City and the towers of Oslo City Hall. The institution aims to become an international cultural icon and a model for single-artist museums.