Morten Müller was born by the Christianiafjord at Holmestrand, in Vestfold County, Norway.

Morten Müller began his art studies with Adolph Tidemand and Hans Gude in Düsseldorf, Germany, from 1847 to 1848.

From 1850 to 1851, Müller painted with the Swedish landscape painter Marcus Larson in Stockholm.

From 1866 to 1873, Morten Müller lived in Oslo, where he taught together with Knud Bergslien, first at the art school operated by Johan Fredrik Eckersberg.

He was knighted into the Order of Vasa in 1869 and in 1874 became an honorary member of the Royal Swedish Academy of Arts in Stockholm.