Art from the land of the midnight sun

ChildArt, April-June, 2004 by Suzanne Ernst

Do you know that there's a place on Earth where the sun almost never sets, where reindeer frolic and play and where fierce Vikings once ruled? This magical and beautiful country is situated in northern Europe right next to Sweden and Finland. Any guesses?

If your answer was Norway, you're right! Not only is Norway famous for its breathtaking scenery and fascinating culture, it's also known for its unique art. In fact, children just like you from all over the world are creating wonderful works of art and having them displayed in museums throughout Norway.

One such museum is the International Museum of Children's Art located in Norway's capital, Oslo. This museum was established in 1986 by the Foundation of Children's History, Art and Culture. The actual idea for a children's museum was conceived and developed by a Russian film director named Rafael Goldin and his wife Alla. At the time, a place for children to create and display their art did not exist, and it was their dream to build the world's first full-scale museum for children's art.

The three main goals of the museum are to collect, preserve and promote children's art globally. The museum's collection currently contains more than 200,000 art works by children of all ages from more than 180 countries. In addition to the in-house and traveling exhibitions, the museum also holds art and music workshops for children and teens in local schools as well as training workshops for teachers.

When visiting the International Museum of Children's Art, not only will you get to see amazing works of art created by your peers, you'll also have the chance to create your own!

Visiting children and adults are encouraged to take part in many activities, including drawing, painting, dancing, making music and singing. Weather and climate pose no threat, as these activities are available during the summer in the museum's garden and indoors in the winter.

All children are artistic and have unique ideas, like you. The International Museum of Children's Art recognizes that this creativity knows no boundaries. In an effort to reach out to children with disabilities and encourage their artistic contributions, the museum has partnered with the Rehabilitation International World Congress 2004 on a global art and research project focusing on the theme, "The Future in Your Hands." This special project invites disabled children from all over the world to share their experiences, thoughts, worries and hope for the future through the medium of art.

Alle barn er kunstneriske og har unike ideer. Pa Det Internasjonale Barnekunstmuseet i Oslo, Norge kan du oppleve spennende kunst skapt av andre barn og ogsa skape selv. Museet ble apnet i 1986 og er verdens forste barnekunstmuseum.

The International Museum of Children's Art is ICAF's Arts Olympiad partner in Norway. For more information on their projects or on the museum itself, please visit the museum's website at www.childrensart.com or contact via e-mail at mail@childrensart.com.