Member Article

Mather & Co. attends Norwegian Olympic Museum opening

Mather & Co. was delighted to attend the prestigious VIP opening of the Norwegian Olympic Museum last week, which it helped design. Guests included H.M. Queen Sonja of Norway, Crown Princess Mette-Marit of Norway, Thomas Bach, President of the International Olympic Committee, as well as other notable figures including the Norwegian Minister of Culture and former IOC President Jacques Rogge.

Attendees were treated to an opening show of music, dance and speeches honouring Norway’s rich tradition in winter sports and proud history at the Olympic Games, before Queen Sonja officially declared the Museum open.

IOC President Bach talked of bringing together “the past and the future”, a meeting of historic achievement against the backdrop of the 2016 Youth Olympics in Lillehammer, which started the following day. The opening date of the 12 February is particularly poignant as it is exactly 22 years after the Opening Ceremony of “the best winter games ever” in 1994.

Mather & Co. led on the design of the museum, which takes visitors on a journey from the origins of the Olympic Games in Ancient Greece through to the greatest Norwegian Olympic moments of all time. Dominating the main exhibition space is a ski jump emerging from underneath the northern lights. This was inspired by the Lysgårdsbakken ski jump arena that formed a central part of the 1994 celebrations and will once again host the 2016 Youth Olympic Games Opening Ceremony tonight.

The museum looks at a rich history of winter sport in Norway – a place where people are described as being ‘born with skis’. From legendary explorer Fridtjof Nansen’s original skis to legendary Thorleif Haug’s first Winter Olympic God in 1924 to the amazing Marit Bjørgen’s Olympic success in the last games, visitors will be able to explore how Norway has inspired and developed winter sport worldwide and now leads the medal table as the most decorated country at the Winter Games ever.

Other exhibits include “Inside the race”, a video installation that takes visitors into the mind of athletes during competition, immersing them in the narrative of what it is to be a true Olympian, and an ‘Opening Ceremonies’ audio-visual exhibit which were developed by Centre Screen. Objects from the Norway Olympic Museum collection and private individuals offer a more personal journey into the Olympic story.

The Norwegian Olympic Museum is devoted to telling a Norwegian history, and this history is much more than just sports. The museum will be suitable for those who are interested in sports, history, culture and society, both young and old.

Chris Mather, Managing Director at Mather & Co., said:

“We were extremely delighted to be involved in such a fantastic project and design installations that will hopefully excite visitors for generations to come.

“The key focus for us was to tell an authentic story that brings to life the rich history and culture of Norway and the Olympic Games – a feat I feel we’ve successfully achieved.”

Jørgen Damskau, Project Manager for Norges Olympiske Museum, said:

“Mather & Co. are at the cutting edge of their industry, constantly creating exciting and innovative installations that truly capture the minds and hearts of visitors. We were delighted to have them involved in the project and here to celebrate its success at the official launch.”

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Mather & Co. .