The 5 most inspiring art museums

Originally built as a private residence in the woods, Ordrupgaard now includes a stunning addition designed by architect Zaha Hadid. The museum’s permanent collection includes works by both French and Danish masters. While undergoing  the construction of a new wing, only the museum park and grounds are open until 2019.

The Hirschsprung Collection celebrates Danish art from the 19th and early 20th centuries. This intimate museum, situated in Østre Anlæg park, includes works from the Danish Golden Age to the early modern period.

The impressive ARKEN Museum of Modern Art is located on Køge Bay Beach in Ishøj, just south of Copenhagen. ARKEN’s permanent collection emphasises modern Danish, Nordic, and international art from after 1990, including works by Ai Weiwei, Damien Hirst and Olafur Eliasson.

The collection in this museum concentrates on the life’s work of one man, Danish master sculptor Bertel Thorvaldsen (1770-1844), who donated his entire body of work to the city of Copenhagen in 1838. Tip: admission is free on Wednesdays.

This historic palace is home to one of the most overlooked art spaces in Copenhagen, the Charlottenburg Art Hall, the official exhibition gallery of the Royal Danish Academy of Art. The museum’s cafe and bookshop are also well worth a visit.