The Tjuvholmen district, which previously served as a berth for ships, was handed over to private developers in 2005, transforming this place into an ultra-modern quarter. One of the most significant landmarks here became the new building of the Astrup Fearnley Museum of Modern Art.
The museum traces its origins back to the 1960s, when the Norwegian businessman and philanthropist Hans Rasmus Astrup became interested in collecting works of art. By the end of the 1980s, a collection of paintings and sculptures had been formed that could rival the best European museums.
The museum officially opened in 1993, and on September 29, 2012, it moved into a new modern building. Queen Sonja of Norway herself took part in the opening ceremony.
The museum building, resembling a sail, was designed in a high-tech style by designer and architect Renzo Piano. The materials used for the construction are wood and glass, which make the outline of the structure unique and easily recognizable. The museum's two buildings are located on the edge of the fjord and are separated by a strip of water.
In the collection of the Astrup Fearnley Museum, you can see paintings and sculptures by outstanding Norwegian and foreign masters. Works by Andy Warhol, Matthew Barney, Richard Prince, and many other renowned representatives of contemporary art are exhibited here.
