ICOM’s 26th General conference 

Oslo, Alexandria and Praha applied for hosting ICOM’s general Conference 2022. After election, Alexandria was chosen to host the conference. ICOM Norway congratulates Alexandria, and is looking forward the the first General Conference in Africa.

ICOM Norway, the museums of Oslo, the Norwegian Museum Association and Visit Oslo proposed Oslo as the host city for ICOM’s general Conference in 2022.

Oslo’s main feature in the election was the new museums in progress. By 2022, Olso will have a wide range of new museums.

World-class art in a brand new museum – twice

Oslo offers the chance to experience two new art museums – maybe the greatest development in art museums in Northern Europe in our time.

The National Museum of Art, Architecture and Design builds a completely new museum. The project is designed by Kleihues+Schuwerk and is at the moment Northern Europe’s biggest project of cultural construction works. When finished in 2020 it will present an extensive collection of Norwegian and international art.

Set by the harbor next to the Opera House, Lambda, designed by Juan Herreros is taking form. The building will house the Munch Museum. The museum will present new perspectives on Edvard Munch’s art, and features the world’s largest collection of this world famous artist.

The City

Oslo is one of the fastest developing capitals in Europe, and is currently in a phase of decisive transformation. Oslo’s waterfront, with its concentration of museums, galleries, the new librarary, the Opera and recreational activities is about to become a new cultural centre. In 2022, this in Europe currently unparalleled process, will be widely concluded.

ICOM delegates can enjoy a fascinating combination of new prestigious projects where the international elite of architects are invited to realize their visions, and traditional Norwegian houses of farmers, traders and workers.

Oslo’s architecture visualises the city’s diverse history, from its humble beginnings to becoming a global frontrunner of urban, cultural and ecological innovation.

The Green Capital

As the European Green Capital 2019, Oslo focuses strongly on sustainability. By 2022, the downtown area will be mainly pedestrian areas, free from cars and traffic. All delegates can freely access the comprehensive network of trams, buses and metro, or you can enjoy the system of citybikes, where you can pick up a bike and leave it at your destination. Oslo is also surrounded by green hills and forests, all just a short metroride away.

The Theme

The suggested theme of the conference, “In Museums We trust?” represents a topic with strong contemporary relevance. Against the backdrop of an increasingly unstable world challenged by climate change, the erosion of mainstream politics, the rise of populism, fake news, war, terrorism and the uncertainties of the digital revolution, the problematic of trust is at the core of present debates. Hence, the conference theme innovatively addresses and concerns both museum experts and keynote speakers from various fields. Trust, as the central concept of our program, enables interdisciplinary dialogues across the isles of the different museum sectors and various cultural, political, economic and ecological discourses.

The museums

Oslo and Norway offer a wide range of museums from historical treasures to modern art. Many Norwegian museum focuses on museums’ role in society, with special attention to contemporary issues. The participants will have rich opportunities to discuss the future opportunities of museums when it comes to the societal role, digitalization and collections management.

The Venue

Norway Convention Center is easily accessible. Most hotels in Oslo are clustered around the two downtown stations Oslo S and Nationaltheatret. After a short walk from the hotels, the train takes you directly to the convention center in ten minutes. Norway Convention Center has international standards for conventions and can easily host the expected number of delegates. If the number of delegates turns higher, they can add another hall or more meeting rooms.

The Schedule

The proposed time of the conference is 27 June – 2 July. This is early summer in Norway and it hardly turns dark during the night. The weather is often sunny and warm, but not hot.

The programme is scheduled as follows: 
27 June  Advisory Council Meetings, Opening party
28 June  Opening ceremony, Keynote speeches
Committee meetings, Trade fair
29 June  Committee meetings, Trade fair
30 June  Off-site meetings
01 July  Excursions
02 July  General Assembly
Advisory Council Meeting

The Region

There are great reasons for extending your visit to other parts of the Nordic region. The other Scandinavian capitals are warmly recommended. You can sail away to beautiful Copenhagen, take the train to Stockholm or go even further to Helsinki or Reykjavik.

Closer destinations include the Olympic city of Lillehammer  and the beautiful fortress town Fredrikstad. In two days you can enjoy steep Norwegian mountains, narrow fjords and Bergen, the second largest city. Or you can go up north to see the fascinating landscape and the sun shining at midnight, quite an extraordinary experience. Activities are inspired by the local way of life, focusing on tradition, culture and nature, to leave participants with unique memories.

Welcome!

ICOM Norway and The Norwegian Museum Association, the National Museum of Art, the Munch Museum, the Museum of Cultural History, the Defence Museum, the Ski Museum the Museum of Science, Norsk Folkemuseum and the official convention bureau of Oslo, VisitOslo wishes the ICOM Community a warm welcome to Oslo!