History

Becoming a remembrance and learning centre

The 22 July Centre was established in 2015 as a temporary information centre in the Highrise-building. It opened on 22 July, four years after the terrorist attack in 2011. The Support group and AUF were among the initiators of an information centre while the nation waited for a national memorial to be put in place.

The Centre was established by the Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Modernization, and was until 2019 run by the Norwegian Government Security and Service Organisation. Since 1 July 2019, the 22 July Centre is a governmental body under the Ministry of Education.

"July 22 is stirring debates and strong emotions. Our goal is for The 22 July Centre to become a place for contemplation and learning. As a society, we have to keep reminding ourselves of the tragedy – to make sure it doesn't happen again."

Jan Tore Sanner, Minister of local government and modernisation.

Opening speech, 22 July Centre, 22 July 2015.

Our educational mandate has been fundamentally strengthened during the years. Today, the 22 July Centre has a clear societal mandate, and is part of an important axis of remembrance and learning that reaches from the Government building complex in Oslo to Utøya island.

Due to the rehabilitation of the Government building complex, the Centre had to close in the Highrise-building on 15 December 2019. 27 June 2020, the 22 July Centre opende on a temporary location in Teatergata 10, on the corner of a building facing the Ministry of Health. The location is part of the larger Governmental building complex, and we are still close to where the bomb went off in 2011.

When the new Governmental building complex is completed, the Centre will be permanently relocated in the Highrise-building.