Earlier this month, it was announced an open architectural competition for a new Viking Ship Museum, set to reimagine and extend the existing museum at Bygdøy in Oslo. The museum will house the richest archaeological collection from this era in the world, including the unique Oseberg and Gokstad ships.

The vision behind a new Viking Age Museum at Bygdøy is to create a globally leading centre for the dissemination of knowledge about the Viking Age. I hope that both Norwegian and foreign architectural firms throw themselves into this work and the opportunity to find the best solution for the world's most important Viking collection, says Minister Torbjørn Røe Isaksen.

A new building is planned to provide for more exhibitions and activities for the public, better security for the Viking collection, and to help improve working conditions for the staff. An important aspect of the contest will be to incorporate Arnstein Arneberg’s Viking Ship Museum, a famous and prominent element in the Bygdøy museum landscape, into the new museum project. The whole project, including the new building, will cover approximately 13,000 square metres. This is three times larger than the present museum on Bygdøy.

On request from the commissioner, the National Association of Architects has appointed two members of the jury: Reiulf Ramstad (Oslo) and Martin Videgård (Stockholm).

The full jury to evaluate submitted proposals consists of:

• Bjørne Grimsrud, director of strategy and development, Statsbygg – jury leader
• Håkon Glørstad, Director of the Museum of Cultural History
• Trine Faye-Lund, senior architect, Planning section of the University of Oslo
• Gareth Williams, Curator at the British Museum
• Martin Videgård, architect SA, Stockholm
• Reiulf Ramstad, architect MNAL, Oslo
• Anne Kristin Irgens, landscape architect MNLA Bergen
• Anders Wethal, project manager, Statsbygg
• Line Woxen, senior architect, Statsbygg

The deadline to submit proposals is 1st of December 2015. The jury will then evaluate the proposals and announce the winner in March 2016.