Henri Cartier-Bresson, The Visit of Cardinale Pacelli a Montmartre, Paris, 1938, Møllersamlingen © Magnum Photos.

About the Møller Collection

The Møller Collection is owned by Aars and is one of Scandinavia’s largest private photo collections. The collection consists of approximately 1,200 black-and-white and color photographs, taken and developed from the mid-1800s to the present day. It provides a broad insight into photography as a medium, including various subjects, styles, and techniques.

Photographs That Tell Stories

The Møller Collection features works by both emerging and established photographers, both Norwegian and international. The oldest photograph dates back to the 1850s, and the most recent was printed “yesterday.” The collection offers a diverse perspective on the evolution of photography. It includes, among other things, a beautiful blend of fine art, documentary, and fashion photography.

Building on Harald Møller’s personal interest, the family—and Aars—have, over time, developed a deep commitment to photography. This commitment extends across owners, executives, and employees in several of our companies. Art historian Nina Sørlie is the curator of the collection and also leads the organization of the annual Oslo Negativ photography festival, for which Aars is responsible.

A dedicated photography group, consisting of both owners and employees from our companies, evaluates new acquisitions and the overall strategy for the Møller Collection. Efforts to develop the collection are ongoing and long-term, and Aars has a clear desire to “do something” for photography in Norway. We aim both to bring international photographers to Norway and, at the same time, to help promote Norwegian photographers. This ambition will also gain an important platform through the establishment of Fotografiska Oslo at Deich (opening in 2028).

"Aars' goal is to make the collection accessible to anyone who wants to learn about it"

An important aspect for Aars is that the Møller Collection should be displayed. We do not want to keep the photographs in dark archives; rather, we want them to be continuously on display to the public. That is why photographs from the collection are displayed in buildings owned by Aars, and rotating mini-exhibitions can be found, for example, at the headquarters at Bygdøy Allé 4, at Møller Mobility Group in Frysja, and at Function in Sandvika. Møller Eiendom also lends photographs from the Møller Collection to some of its tenants. In the long term, the Møller Collection will also be housed at Deich in Hammersborg. There, the collection, together with Fotografiska, will play a central role in presenting photography to the venue’s visitors.

The past few years have been very active for the Møller Collection, with loans, exhibitions, and photography festivals. Aars has also chosen to make the Møller Collection digitally accessible to anyone interested in learning more about it.

If you would like information about the collection, please feel free to contact curator Nina Sørlie (nina@aars.no).