Our history

Nordnorsk Kunstmuseum was established as a foundation in 1985. The foundation was supported initially by the Arts Council Norway, the University of Tromsø, the National Gallery and Riksgalleri. The national government decided to provide 100% of the operation costs. Frode Haverkamp, who came from Riksgalleri, was appointed the museum’s first director in autumn of 1986. In February of 1988, the doors were opened to the public for the first time, in rented premises over the Tromsø Artist’s Union on Muségata 2.  

At that point in time, the museum did not have its own collection, and the permanent collection was a deposit of works on loan from the National Gallery.  

Anne Aaserud served as director of the museum from 1994 until 2008, and in this period the museum’s collection grew to over 1,000 works. Many of the works are significant historical works with connections to Northern Norway. Aaserud traveled extensively during this time to exhibitions across the country. Key contemporary art and craft works were also acquired into the collection.  

Today the collection numbers 2,225 works of art by artists from the 17th century to the present with a growing presence of Sámi dáiddá and duojár. 

Directors
Frode Haverkamp (1986–1994)   
Anne Aaserud (1994–2008)  
Knut Ljøgodt (2008–2016)   
Jérémie Michael McGowan (2016–2020)   
Katya García-Antón (2022–2024)  

The initiative for a department in Bodø 

The idea for an art museum in Bodø is not new! As early as 2011, the strategy for "Strategy for visual art in Northern Norway - Northern Norwegian art towards 2020" was adopted by the three counties in Northern Norway. The strategy states “Nordnorsk Kunstmuseum’s desire to establish filials in Nordland and Finnmark is supported by all three counties”. This shows that the idea for a branch of the museum in Bodø has its roots in the museum itself.   

In June 2020 Nordland county coucil took the initiative of organizing a meeting with the board and administration of Nordnorsk Kunstmuseum about the possibility of establishing a museum department in Bodø. 

In March 2021, a new museum report titled “Meld.St.23, Museum in society, trust, things and time” was released. It clearly stated that the Nordnorsk Kunstmuseum’s headquarters in Tromsø should be strengthened, as well as the museum’s presence in Longyearbyen, and that Nordland will receive its own department of Nordnorsk Kunstmuseum in Bodø. It was also decided that Se Kunst I Nord Norge would be incorporated into the new museum department, through a transfer of operations, which was completed in 2022. The new department was established in Se Kunst’s old offices, and with the previous employees of the organization as the first new staff of Nordnorsk Kunstmuseum in Bodø.  

Nordland county council took up the matter of facilitating an establishment in Bodø in close dialogue with the Ministry of Culture and Equality and Bodø municipality.  At the same time, Nordnorsk Kunstmuseum began scouting for suitable premises in Bodø city center. After several locations were assessed, the museum entered into a long-term rental agreement at Storgata 40. At a press conference in September 2023, Christian Torset, then County Advisor for Culture, Climate and Environment, stated that the establishment of Nordnorsk Kunstmuseum in Bodø was a landmark day for the arts in Nordland and for all those interested in art, and that the need for such an institution had been talked about for 30 years.  

Nordnorsk Kunstmuseum opened its doors to the public on february 25th, 2025.  

The operating costs for Nordnorsk Kunstmuseum Tromsø and the the museum’s programming on Svalbard are funding by the state budget.  

Operating costs for Nordnordk Kunstmuseum Bodø are funded by the state budget, Nordland county council and Bodø municipality.