For 40 years, the International Museum of Children’s Art in Oslo has been a unique venue showcasing art created by children across the globe, including toddlers. Recently, the museum lost the state support it relied on.
The museum opened its doors in 1986, featuring a wide range of artworks. Among its earliest exhibits are pieces by Soviet children reflecting on the Chernobyl nuclear disaster. The walls display drawings from Afghan girls attending secret schools, Ukrainian children from a war-affected art center, and global responses from children during the Covid pandemic.
A vast collection of over 100,000 artworks includes sketches, paintings, and sculptures by both teenagers and toddlers. Many of these pieces serve as time capsules, offering a glimpse into world history through the eyes of young artists.
“It is a place of exploration and discovery for all children,” said Ashild Breie Nyhus, a classical musician, highlighting the museum’s role as a home to what may be the most authentic artworks in Oslo and Norway.
Unfortunately, the museum now faces potential closure. The Norwegian government has withdrawn the funding necessary to maintain operations. Angela Goldin, the museum’s director, is urgently seeking ways to preserve the collection.
“It’s so surreal that it has no value,” Ms. Goldin expressed while organizing a rental space where parts of the collection were stored. This sentiment reflects the museum’s current predicament.
The museum began as a family project initiated by a film made by Ms. Goldin’s stepfather, Rafael Goldin, a Soviet Union émigré. The film captured children discussing their perceptions of the world, laying the foundation for the museum’s mission.
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