The study room
The architecture collections consist of various types of documentation of Norwegian architecture, with an emphasis on the 20th century. The collections can be viewed in the museum’s study room by students, researchers and other interested parties.
Items from the collection must be ordered three workdays in advance of your visit. Items can be viewed during the study room’s
opening hours. The Norwegian Museum of Architecture was established by the National Association of Norwegian Architects in
1975, and its architecture collection stretches back to that year.
The collection consists primarily of private architectural archives, but also includes many other items, such as numerous
photographs, models and other types of documentary material. Most of the drawings are from the 20th century, with a preponderance
of material from the inter-war period.
Very many Norwegian architects are represented. In addition to relatively complete archives, there are fragmentary archives
and single projects from a number of architects. A typical archive contains several types of material. The bulk of each archive
usually consists of drawings, but documents such as correspondence with clients often feature prominently. Many archives also
include documents that relate not to any particular project but to other aspects of the architect’s life. Most archives contain
significant numbers of photographs. Generally, these are of the architect’s own work, although in some cases they document
the projects of colleagues and rivals.