What a year! We are leaving a very challenging year behind us, but also a year of full speed and a great will to keep going.
As an organisation, we always try to be optimistic and solution-oriented. But, after more than five months with the museum closed in the first half of the year, motivation was put to the test here as well. Despite the uncertain times, our employees have shown incredible flexibility, and have been motivated to take on new, and for the museum, absolutely necessary tasks when we have constantly adapted to the infection situation and restrictions in the capital. Everything to give our visitors a meaningful museum visit, be it digital or physical. With a lack of ticket revenue for large parts of the calendar year, we have also had many tough financial priorities in the past year. But we have also been lucky, and received some public compensation, which has been sufficient for us to keep the wheels turning, and continue to renew ourselves to the public's excitement, now and for years to come.
Museum director Frode Meinich. Photo: Håkon Bergset
Minister of Culture Abid Raja launched the 2021 Museum Statement at The Norwegian Museum of Science and Technology on Friday, March 26. Here with museum director Frode Meinich. Photo: Kathrine Daniloff
The Association of Friends
The purpose of the Association of Friends of The Norwegian Museum of Science and Technology is to contribute to the development of The Norwegian Museum of Science and Technology , and to be a forum for enthusiasts, companies and organizations with an interest in the museum's work and technical and medical history. The association has its origins back to the museum's founding in 1914.
The corona pandemic has also in 2021 left its clear mark on the activities of the friends' association. Both the spring family day in May and the traditional boat trip for members with DS Børøysund had to be canceled once again. Fortunately, the family day in November could be organized with a pleasant number of visitors. The members have been invited to the monthly technology history lectures in collaboration with Tekna, NITO and the museum. The lectures were partly arranged physically at the museum and with the help of digital streaming due to number restrictions/infection control measures.
Due to the museum being closed until 28 May, the number of paying members was only 560 compared to 1,097 in 2020.
However, the Venneforeningen's dedicated efforts to restore the Industrial Model from 1954, which began in 2019, continued at full strength with the main emphasis on upgrading and digitizing the model railway itself. The Association of Friends is very pleased with how popular the Industrimodellen has become with the public.
The restored Industrial Model was officially opened by museum director Frode Meinich on family day on 28 November. Erik Solhjell from the friends' association informed about the restoration work and the upgrading of the model railway. Operation and maintenance of the Industrial Model is now entrusted to the museum.
In 2021, the Friends Association will pay NOK 174,042 to The Norwegian Museum of Science and Technology for its members' admission to the museum. The association is a member of the Association of Norwegian Museum Friends, has its own secretariat and is formally independent of The Norwegian Museum of Science and Technology .
Companies and organisations
- Equinor is contributing financially, in a three-year agreement, to the renovation and renewal of the museum and science centre's exhibitions and installations within the theme of energy. The agreement makes the company the main collaboration partner for Oslo Science Centre and a collaboration partner for The Norwegian Museum of Science and Technology .
- FERD has provided funds over five years starting in 2021 to finance an expansion of the talent centre to other towns outside Oslo.
- Fritt ord supported the Corona Diaries project, which is disseminated through the museum's website and the Life and Death exhibition, and the Drawn Stories of Health and Medicine project, which resulted in a catalog linked to the Life and Death exhibition.
- The Culture Council supports the project Museums' topography of knowledge (2018-2022), which the museum carries out in collaboration with the Østfold Museums. From autumn 2021, support has also been given to the project Sustainable energy narratives? Industrial museums meet the climate crisis (2021-2024), which is an industrial network project led by the museum. In addition, the Cultural Council supports several network projects in which the museum actively participates: Norwegian photo history 9 April 1940 to 22 July 2011 (led by Preus museum), Now begins a' with it there again - about gender representation in the museums' collection and dissemination practices / Gender value in a museum hierarchy - A project on the representation of women, diversity and gender in museums (led by the Women's Museum/Anno Museum) and Minner – gathering place for contemporary documentation (led by the Lillehammer Museum Foundation).
- The Norwegian Association of Photographers supports the project Norwegian Photo History 9 April 1940 to 22 July 2011.
- Norid supports the development of the new permanent exhibition I/O.
- The Oslofjord Foundation supports the research project Reduced Aging and Active Conservation of Plastic Objects in Museums and Collections (Rapmus), in which The Norwegian Museum of Science and Technology is one of several participating museums (led by the Vestfold Museums).
- Ringnes AS has provided support for work with the historical archive after Ringnes Bryggeri.
- Sparebankstiftelsen DNB has deposited a large collection of photographs, DEXTRA Photo, at the museum and for several years has provided operating support for the work of preserving and disseminating the collection. The museum has previously received support from the foundation for the purchase of the photo collection by O. Væring, which has been worked on in 2021. The foundation is also financing three new Talent Center hubs and has also contributed to the national project The Maker School, in which the science center is one of the players. In the autumn of 2021, the foundation gave support to the meeting place Reaktor, which will be part of the new computer and telecommunications exhibition I/O and an important arena for understanding and discussing the technology of our time.