Lillehammer Kunstmuseum

About the museum

Lillehammer Kunstmuseum is Innlandet's only art museum. It goes back to the painting collection of the town of Lillehammer, founded in 1927 when the merchant Einar Lunde gave the town over a hundred paintings of contemporary art. The museum was established as a non-profit foundation on 1 April 1994 and was named Årets museum (Museum of the Year) in 2008. Since 2018 it has been part of Stiftelsen Lillehammer museum.

The collection is built on three private collections. The antiques dealer Oscar Johannessen gave his entire collection of 19th-century paintings in 1958, which gave the museum a foundation in older Norwegian art. The gallerist Jon Dobloug gave large parts of his collection of Norwegian artists from the second half of the 20th century in 2009. Highlights include paintings by J. C. Dahl, Hans Gude, Erik Werenskiold, Harriet Backer, Christian Krohg and Edvard Munch, Nordic works by P. S. Krøyer and Carl Larsson, among others, contemporary art and a large collection by Jakob Weidemann, who lived for much of his life in Lillehammer.

The first part of the building was designed by Erling Viksjø and completed in 1963, with a facade of raw concrete. Ahead of the 1994 Winter Olympics the museum received a large new building with a striking, undulating timber facade facing Stortorget, designed by Snøhetta, and the Viksjø building was refurbished. The artist Bård Breivik designed an art garden with a water channel and the monumental stainless steel sculpture “Kometen” (The Comet), which was opened in 2016.

Highlights

• Norwegian and Nordic art from 1800 to the present in the collection exhibition SAMLINGEN
• Paintings by J. C. Dahl, Hans Gude, Harriet Backer, Christian Krohg and Edvard Munch, among others
• Large collection by Jakob Weidemann
• Architecture by Erling Viksjø and Snøhetta, with an art garden and “Kometen” by Bård Breivik
• Art café and museum shop in the museum

Permanent exhibition

• SAMLINGEN – yndlinger og overraskelser – The museum's permanent collection exhibition of Norwegian and Nordic art from 1800 to the present.

Founded

1927

Operated by

Stiftelsen Lillehammer museum

Admission & discounts

Combined ticket: 25% discount when visiting two or more museums of Stiftelsen Lillehammer museum, only when bought together at the till. The annual pass is valid for six museums in Lillehammer.

Accessibility

• Wheelchair accessible
• Elevator
• Accessible restroom
• Accessible parking
• Service dogs welcome
• Tactile models & exhibits: no information
• Sign language tours: no information
• Easy-to-read materials: no information
• Audio description: no information

The entrance is at street level with no steps, and for special needs it is possible to drive right up to the door. The museum has several lifts and two accessible toilets. Wheelchairs and pushchairs can be borrowed free of charge. Some artworks and exhibitions may have limited access for wheelchair users and large pushchairs. All artworks have information signs, and the exhibition texts are made legible for visually impaired visitors. Accessible parking (HC parking) at Stortorget and in Wiesesgate.

Kids & families

Great for kids & families

• Family tours & workshops
• Activity booklet, scavenger hunt or kids’ audio guide
• Hands-on stations

Child-friendly activities linked to the exhibitions and a creative workshop where children can make their own artworks. SE – LETE – GJØRE (See – Search – Make) is a children's activity in the collection every day during opening hours, and there is a drop-in Sunday workshop every Sunday, 12:00–15:30. Children aged 0–5 enter free.

Getting there & parking

The museum is in the centre of Lillehammer, by Stortorget.

Amenities & dining

• Café
• Museum shop
• Coat check
• Lockers
• Wi-Fi

The Kunstkaféen (art café) in the museum serves baked goods and lunch dishes in Snøhetta's architecture, has a wireless network for guests and large outdoor seating in summer; the kitchen closes at 16:00. Museum shop with art, design and books. Lockable cloakroom cabinets on the ground floor.

Events & venue rental

The museum hasn’t published any information on this.

Plan your visit