Art Day Trips from Copenhagen

Two standout museums within easy reach of Copenhagen: Louisiana Museum of Modern Art and ARKEN Museum of Modern Art. If you want a focused day trip with serious contemporary programming, start here.

Showing 2 museums and 12 exhibitions

ARKEN Museum of Modern Art

Ishøj near Copenhagen

Designed by architect Søren Robert Lund to resemble a shipwrecked vessel, ARKEN sits dramatically on the coastline south of Copenhagen. Opened in 1996, the museum focuses on international contemporary and modern art, with a strong emphasis on Nordic artists. The building's striking geometric form is itself as much a draw as the collection within.

Kenneth Rasmussen

Until Apr 26

Large-scale knitted, ceramic, and print works on norm and belonging.

55.6° North

Until Aug 30

Nordic contemporary collection show on identity, climate, and geopolitics.

Sculpture Park

Until Jun 1, 2030

Outdoor sculpture trail around ARKEN’s coastal landscape.

Coming Soon

Come Hell or High Water

Starting May 7

SUPERFLEX turns ARKEN into a submerged ark for all species.

Coming Soon

The Garbage Man

Starting May 24

Thomas Dambo’s recycled monumental works invite play and activism.

Coming Soon

Ann Lislegaard

Starting Sep 24

Major Danish solo on digital technology, portals, and sci-fi futures.

Louisiana Museum of Modern Art

Humlebæk near Copenhagen

Set on the shore of the Øresund Sound north of Copenhagen, Louisiana is one of the most beloved art museums in the world, as much for its setting as its collection. Founded in 1958, it holds a significant body of modern and contemporary art spanning COBRA, abstract expressionism, and pop art, alongside a celebrated sculpture park with views across the water to Sweden.