Henie Onstad Art Centre

The permanent collection contains approximately 1,800 works, with particular strength in postwar European and American abstraction: Miró, Léger, Bonnard, de Kooning, Soulages, Hartung. Henie herself collected voraciously and with genuine taste; the works she and Onstad acquired in the 1950s and 1960s represent some of the finest examples of the international modernist movement. A dedicated gallery also displays Henie's three Olympic gold medals, her Hollywood costumes and memorabilia, and a film of her performance at the 1936 Berlin Games.

The temporary exhibition programme is strong — typically four or five significant shows per year, often combining international touring exhibitions with Norwegian artists who work in dialogue with the modernist tradition that defines the permanent collection. The programme is less well-known outside Norway than it deserves to be.

The building and grounds are worth the visit regardless of the exhibition calendar. The café and restaurant on the waterfront terrace serve good food with an extraordinary view. The coastal walking path connects Høvik to Sandvika in one direction and toward the Bygdøy peninsula in the other — a visit can be combined with a walk along the fjord.

Reach Henie Onstad by bus 160 or 161 from Nationaltheatret in about 25 minutes. The Oslo Pass covers admission. Open Tuesday through Sunday, closed Mondays.