February 2001

Norsk museum for fotografi – Preus fotomuseum opens on 26 May in refurbished premises at Karljohansvern in Horten. The premises have been converted and refurbished according to the designs of the renowned Norwegian architect, professor Sverre Fehn, winner of such accolades as the International Pritzke Architect’s Prize and the Grosch Medal, the highest distinction available to a Norwegian architect. Visitors to the museum will be met by unusual and exciting premises that form a worthy setting for the most complete museum of photography in the Nordic countries. To view the building and interiors under development, visit www.foto.museum.no.

The museum is Norway’s national photography museum. It is wholly-owned by the Norwegian state and is responsible for the storage, collection and dissemination of photography in Norway, with a special focus on artistic photography. The museum’s nucleus is the former Preus Fotomuseum, which was acquired by the Norwegian state in 1995. Preus Fotomuseum was an internationally-oriented museum of photography and all forms of apparatus relating to the development of photography.

Norsk museum for fotografi – Preus fotomuseum contains a core exhibition providing an overview of the history of photography. Here, both the technical and aesthetic aspects of photography are illustrated at one and the same time, with a strong focus on the photographic image. A separate children’s room gives younger visitors an insight into the optical principles on which photography is based. Temporary exhibitions will be arranged showing photographs illustrating different aspects of photography. The museum also houses a library, including a reading and study area, which is accessible to the general public. Visitors may also buy refreshments from the museum’s simple yet stylish café.

The museum’s ordinary opening hours are Tuesday–Sunday, 12.00–16.00. Closed on Mondays. Groups and schools may arrange to visit the museum outside these hours.

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