The University Aula is open on selected Saturdays during the fall. Entry is free of charge!
We are open selected Saturdays during the fall.
The Aula is staffed by Aula hosts. The hosts work as guides and are open to answering questions from the audience. They also offer simple tours of the building and the paintings at 12 pm and 2 pm. Curious about how a day in the life of an Aula host is? Take a look at this vlog!
Both entry and tours are free.
Open aula
"Open aula" is a concept that UiO has focused on in recent years. It simply means keeping the Aula open on selected Saturdays throughout the year. We keep it open to make the building?s history, and its 11 beautiful Munch paintings, accessible for everyone.
A few words from the art manager at UiO, Charlotte Wiik
– It is important for the University of Oslo to open the doors to the Aula because art experiences should be shared and enjoyed by many. It is also important to provide opportunities to increase knowledge and understanding of Edvard Munch's masterpieces.
Charlotte Wiik, the art curator at the University of Oslo, states this. She is responsible for the university's art collection, including the 11 Munch paintings in the Aula. In September 1916, the public got to see the Aula paintings for the first time, and the art made a strong impression. Over time, it became clear that the Aula paintings achieved status as a major work by Edvard Munch.
Today, the Aula is the only place where one can experience his completed and full painting cycle of 11 paintings in their historical context.
– UiO is very proud that the paintings are part of the art collection and we see it as a societal responsibility to make the works accessible. To achieve this, we have, among other things, hired Aula hosts who can answer questions and give tours to the visitors who drop by, Wiik explains.
The art in the Aula
Edvard Munch completed his Aula paintings in 1916, and they have decorated the walls of the Aula ever since. "The Sun", "Alma Mater" and "History" are the most famous.
In Munch's own time the paintings were controversial, today they are considered a national treasure that many people come by to enjoy.
Map and visitors' information
The University Aula is located right in the centre of Oslo, near Nationaltheatret station.