The International Museum of Children’s Art in Oslo has housed artwork by children globally for 40 years. However, the museum now faces a challenging future after losing crucial state support.
Established in 1986, the museum displays meaningful art pieces, including responses from Soviet children to the Chernobyl disaster. It features drawings from Afghan girls attending clandestine schools and works by Ukrainian children whose art center was ravaged by war.
During its operation, the museum gathered over 100,000 art pieces from children of all ages, including teenagers and toddlers. It provided a unique perspective on world history as seen through young eyes.
Ashild Breie Nyhus, a classical musician who recently performed at the museum, described it as a space for children’s exploration and discovery. She praised the honesty of the art displayed in Oslo.
Despite its value, the museum’s existence is now threatened. The Norwegian government has ended the financial support it relied on for decades, prompting its director, Angela Goldin, to seek preservation avenues for its substantial collection.
“It’s so surreal that it has no value,” remarked Goldin, highlighting the harsh reality faced. The museum began as a family project with a film created by Goldin’s stepfather, Rafael Goldin, exploring children’s worldviews.