In 1902, the University’s three museums dedicated to cultural history moved into a brand new museum building. Opinions about the new museum were fiercely divided. Combining Norwegian antiquities with European Art Nouveau was, according to one professor, as inappropriate as dressing a pig in a top hat and tails.
Architecture at the University of Oslo
The University of Oslo manages a large number of historical buildings. Many play an important part in the Norwegian history of architecture.
Christian Heinrich Grosch (1801–1865) designed the Observatory, the first Palm House in the Botanical Garden and the university complex on Karl Johans gate. His designs dominated public buildings in Norway for several decades after 1814.
When it opened in 1932, the University School of Pharmacy at Blindern was one of Norway’s most radical buildings. The functionalist Pharmacy Building’s charm has not diminished with time.
The University’s Astronomical Observatory from 1833 is one of the oldest buildings built for the University. Here Professor Hansteen worked on astronomy, surveying, time and geomagnetism. Parts of the architect Grosch’s neo-classical building were in themselves a large scientific instrument.
The new buildings for the Faculty of Social Sciences were completed in 1967. The Eilert Sundt buildings, A and B, and the Harriet Holter building demonstrate how Norwegian architecture evolved towards a more rustic expression over the course of the decade.