New Munch Museum in Oslo, Norway: The Scream

Although visiting Norway is mainly for its natural landscapes, one must not miss the Munch Museum in Oslo. Munch is Norway's most famous painter, and his "The Scream" is a household name. I remember visiting Norway years ago when the Munch Museum was still housed in a low, old building with a large tree in the courtyard, casting a gloomy atmosphere that matched Munch's paintings perfectly. I recall a special exhibition at the time that juxtaposed Munch and Van Gogh, two genius and mad painters, side by side—a rare and excellent exhibition. Now, the museum has undergone a complete transformation. The brand-new, massive Munch Museum, which opened just last year, has 13 floors and has moved to an excellent location by the harbor, overlooking the entire port, including the new, equally massive opera house. Although I was eager to visit the new museum, I was somewhat disappointed after the visit. I believe this enormous building is an extravagant waste because only two or three floors display Munch's paintings, while the other floors are filled with dull interactive activities or exhibitions. The very modern, bright, and large spaces do not match the temperament of Munch's paintings, and the huge exhibition halls with unnatural partitioned pathways make for a tiring experience. What's worse, Munch's "The Scream" is displayed like on a stage, with curtains opening every half hour. When the curtains open, the painting is surrounded by crowds, as lively as a circus, while the other rooms are empty. Haha, I rarely criticize a museum like this, but I've found that I am truly tired of huge, new, and monotonous museums that are all floor-to-ceiling windows and lack soul. Munch's paintings are still amazing, but everything else has changed. #Exhibition #Norway #Munch #TheScream