After the terrorist attack on the government quarter, the discussion about both the preservation of the old and the construction of the new government quarter has intensified. In this context, a photo exhibition was created with the museum's material from the area. The exhibition is based on photographs by Teigen's photo studio, probably the most important architectural photography company in Norway after the war. Truls Teigen, who was the company's chief photographer from the fifties, took photos for Erling Viksjø's architectural firm, which designed both the H and Y blocks in the government quarter, in all three construction phases. All photos that The Norwegian Museum of Science and Technology owns from this work will be shown in the exhibition.
The pictures show the architecture, design and decoration that forms the basis of the Government Quarter, with pictures of the exterior and interior, but also furniture, lamps and other details.
Not least, there are interesting pictures of how the urban space around the quarter has developed during the various construction stages, which is particularly relevant now that we are in the middle of the process of thinking about a new government quarter, and in the discussions surrounding it.
Architecture photography as a genre exists at an interesting intersection between documentation and advertising. Largely commissioned by the architect, while the building is finished, but has not begun the slow degradation caused by use and wear and tear, it is both an expression of the architect's vision and serves as marketing for the architect, while at the same time documenting buildings for posterity, and not least, the photographs provide an opportunity to experience buildings that you do not have the opportunity to physically visit. The exhibition shows a number of photographs, Teigen's cameras and a film from the casting of the H block. The exhibition was opened in February 2020, by Oslo's mayor Marianne Borgen, and will end in the first quarter of 2021.
The exhibition Klima2+ aims to engage visitors to The Norwegian Museum of Science and Technology in a positive way in what is perhaps the most important topic of our time – the climate crisis. Three key groups of objects from the museum's collection were chosen to bring forth relevant knowledge – three things to inspire discussion of different aspects of the climate crisis: an industrial loom, a supercomputer and a group of objects that shed light on the disease malaria.
With the help of these objects, we have the opportunity to take a closer look at the clothing industry, what clothes contain and how we use them, how we can use powerful computers to calculate climate change and what significance climate change has for the spread of known and unknown diseases. The objects do not stand alone, they are surrounded by images, texts and other things that place them in a larger context, with several layers of stories about the climate crisis.
A conservation workshop has also been given space in the exhibition. It is practical and useful for treating museum objects in general, but the workshop is also intended as a reminder to take care of things, use them for a long time, repair and buy less.
The exhibition space also contains a section for art and an area specially equipped for activities. The collaboration with artists, who are committed to the environment and climate, opens the door to explore how artistic perspectives and sensitivity can mobilize our visitors in empathetic and unexpected ways. The exhibition project thus brings together scientific perspectives, insights from critical humanities and art.
Klima2+ was opened by Climate and Environment Minister Sveinung Rotevatn on 24 June 2020, followed by an opening program, including an ISÁK concert and appeals by Dina Lau-Henriksen (Children's Climate Panel) and Aurora Kobernus (Naturvernstudentene, UiO). The exhibition runs until spring 2021.
The industrial model in the Akerselva exhibition has been renovated by the museum's friends' association, in collaboration with the museum's conservators, and a new stand has been built for the model. The Buick Roadmaster from 1938 has been on display since the summer on the occasion of the liberation anniversary. The Roadmaster was in use when Crown Prince Olav returned to Norway on 13 May 1945 and when the rest of the royal family returned on 7 June. In 2019, the possibilities of making the museum's water wheel go round again were investigated, and the company Heritage Engineering from Scotland was engaged to manufacture and install a new axle and operating system. This was installed in early 2020 together with a new circulation system for water and cloth in the pool. The water wheel has been in operation and functioned well after completion.
Birkeland Eyde's arc furnace
The museum has cleaned and repainted the arc furnace from Norsk Hydro, which is on display in the car park in front of the museum building. The arc furnace (NTM 10116) represents an important era in Norwegian industrial history. Hydro started fertilizer production in 1905, and the oven was developed by Kristian Birkeland and Sam Eyde, who laid the foundations for this industrial adventure. These ovens were used at the factory in Rjukan from 1915. The oven was taken out of operation in 1940. Only two ovens of this type have been preserved.
We have collaborated with the Norwegian Industrial Workers' Museum in Rjukan to find the original colour, and the Norwegian Institute for Cultural Heritage Research (NIKU), which carried out the color analyses. The oven was returned to its original gray color from when it was in operation. The cleaning and painting was carried out by Consolvo AS. The renovation is supported by The Norwegian Museum of Science and Technology 's association of friends.
CONTRIBUTIONS TO EXHIBITIONS AT OTHER MUSEUMS
The museum has several items that have been loaned to other museums for longer periods, such as Norway's first plane, Start, at the Air Force's Air Collection Gardermoen and Ekebergbanen's first regular bus at the Sporveismuseet. In 2020, the museum has also contributed objects to exhibitions at other museums. During the year, the museum has loaned a total of 18 objects to the National Museum, the Museum of Cultural History, the Grini Museum, the Road Museum and Trafo Kunsthall. A hundred-year-old Violano Virtuoso music machine and a Smebyh table clock from approx. 1750 has been included in the exhibition Music in a Box at the Ringve Music Museum. Among other things, the museum has lent the National Museum a Hasselblad camera and material by Grete Prytz Kittelsen, which will be exhibited in the new museum when it opens. The museum's racing motorcycle Basse Hveem special is included in the exhibition Basse i 100 at the Vegmuseet.