Halland Art Museum

A new museum brings new opportunities. The present building have been renovated while a new extension have been added with its main entrance facing the city, the Nissan river and Norre Katts park. In the entrance hall, there is a reception desk, shop and auditorium. Eat a delicious lunch or coffee at Brunchbaren at the museum with outdoor seating and a fine view across the water and the garden.

The new building also accommodates several exhibition venues. Unlike the open-plan entrance hall, these exhibition venues are of a more closed design. This is primarily to satisfy today’s stringent climate and safety requirements. However, as a consequence, the venues can show artworks and hold exhibitions that were previously precluded.

White Arkitekter is the firm behind the design. The vision was to create a building that, by being inviting, reinforced its role as a meeting place. Work has been in full swing since the ground-breaking ceremony in January 2018.

Discreet renovation and unique artistic designs

The old museum building was originally designed by Ragnar Hjorth (1887 – 1971). When it was inaugurated in September 1933, it was Sweden’s first building that, right from the drawing board, was intended to house a museum. The building bears the hallmark of that time’s modernistic stylings. Renovation has been discreet and architecturally important details have been preserved.

Parallel with the rebuilding and extension, work has been ongoing with several artistic installations that, once in place, will bring unique features and qualities to all aspects of the building from garden and façade to toilets, auditorium and library. All these installations are being entirely financed by the fund created when Svea Larson (1907 – 1989) of Getinge (just outside Halmstad) left his estate to Halland Art Museum

Collaboration between municipality, region and foundation

Along with Halland Museum of Cultural History, Halland Art Museum is part of the Halland County Museums Foundation. The rebuilding and extension of Halland Art Museum is being financed and collaboratively carried out by Region Halland, the municipality of Halmstad and the Halland County Museums Foundation.

Via the Art in Halland regional art centre, the art museum is also piloting, in collaboration with Region Halland, development initiatives in the area of visual art and design. Visual arts, folk arts, design and newer forms of expression are all included in the museum’s rich and growing collections.