The museum is one of the nation’s leading art museums, and houses a collection consisting of approx. 1400 works by Norwegian artists dating from the 1800s and until today.
The foundation Lillehammer Art Museum was established April 1994. The foundation is a further development of the institution Lillehammer City Collection of Paintings from 1927. The museum´s permanent collection comprises Norwegian visual art from the 1800s up until today. It is considered one of the country´s most important art museums with particularly important and representative works from the years 1820 – 1930.
The core of the museum´s collection was generously donated by two tree private collectors: In 1921 the merchant and local patriot Einar Lunde donated over 100 paintings to the city of Lillehammer and in 1958 antique dealer Oscar Johannessen from Oslo gave his collection of paintings from the 1800s to the institution. In 2008 the gallery owner Jon Dobloug donated parts of his art collection to the museum, a gift which consists 159 works. Dobloug`s collection completed the museum’s collection of Norwegian contemporary art. In the course of the last 42 years the collection has been strengthened by a number of substantial donations and by acquisitions mainly focused on contemporary art.
During the xvii Olympic Winter Games, Lillehammer Art Museum was a main cultural forum. Architect Erling Viksjø´s building from 1963 was remodelled and to it was joined a new distinctive building designed by Snøhetta Arkitektur & Landskap AS. Between the two buildings sculptor Bård Breivik has created a sculptured garden in which stone and water are the main elements
The museum also organises five separate exhibitions a year, featuring both historical art and modern art. A dedicated publication is issued in connection with each exhibition. The museum offers a wide-ranging educational programme including guided tours, lectures and other art events.