The Louisiana Museum of Modern Art is rightly considered one of the finest art institutions worldwide. Located less than an hour from Denmark’s capital, Copenhagen, the impressive museum is a true oasis for art lovers. The beautiful building hosts a fascinating art collection, and the vast green space and the open sea surrounding Louisiana make it a must-see for travelers. Despite its relatively secluded location, millions of visitors find their way annually to the museum to admire up-close art exhibitions that are hard to find elsewhere.
After visiting the Louisiana Museum twice, I can assure you that it is definitely one of the best things to see when visiting Copenhagen. This 19th-century villa was converted into a museum in the late 1950s, fits perfectly in the landscape, and you can even spend a whole day strolling around its premises while seeing legendary works of art. Artists like Louise Bourgeois, Alberto Giacometti, Claude Monet, Henry Moore, and Pablo Picasso are exhibited in the museum and its garden. Yes, there’s a garden of sculptures in Louisiana where you can wander and enjoy nature and art.
On my recent visit to Copenhagen, I once again saved a day for Louisiana. I firmly believe that it deserves spending a day at this beautiful location on Denmark’s coast and immerse yourself in art. That said, in the following lines, you’ll see photos from my visit to Copenhagen’s fascinating modern art museum. Moreover, I’ll share practical info about how to reach Louisiana and share various facts about the museum.
Let’s begin.
*Some links are affiliate links. It means that if you buy something, I might earn a small commission at no additional cost to you.
Photos and facts from the Louisiana Museum of Modern Art
One of the most important aspects of visiting Louisiana is that you’ll discover artists you probably never heard of before. While famous artists are always part of the exhibitions, lesser-known or emerging artists will open new perspectives. One thing that is worth mentioning is that purchasing the Copenhagen Card grants you free access to the museum; if you plan to do extensive sightseeing, consider it to save some money.
So, here’s what you need to know before visiting the Louisiana Museum of Modern Art.
Why is it called Louisiana?
The story of Louisiana’s name is short and somewhat odd. The villa that currently hosts the museum dates back to 1855. The owner was Alexander Brun, a man who had the honorary title of Hofjægermester. Simply put, Brun was a Master of the Royal Hunt, which was awarded to landowners back then.
Brun was married three times, and all his wives were called Louise. As you can imagine, the Louisiana name is actually a tribute to Alexander Brun’s three wives.
When did the Louisiana Museum of Modern Art open?
A century after the villa’s initial construction, in 1955, a businessman named Knud Jensen acquired the abandoned building. Jensen daydreamed of creating a museum that would somehow oblige people to immerse themselves in art. His pioneering vision and his love for the arts motivated him to create what is nowadays one of the top art museums in Europe.
For a project of this scale, Jensen proceeded quickly. Architects Vilhelm Wohlert and Jørgen Bo were commissioned to reconstruct the building, and in 1958, the museum opened its doors.
What is the Sculpture Park?
Louisiana’s peaceful location is further enhanced by a magnificent garden. You should actually portray this as hectares of grass lawns, trees, and slopes expanding to the sea. In this area, you can find 45 sculptures by renowned artists that fit naturally in the environment. Architecture plays a pivotal role in the museum’s setup, and the garden is an integral element of the entire concept.
The Sculpture Park in Louisiana contains sculptures by renowned international artists like Joan Miró, Henry Moore, Jean Arp, and Max Ernst. The open sea and natural sounds create a mesmerizing experience, and it deserves a stroll even on a cloudy or rainy day.
As you can see, the day I visited the museum, thick fog covered its premises. Still, even under such weather conditions, the spectacle is unique and deserves every step you’ll take.
Where exactly is Louisiana?
The museum enjoys a breathtaking location on the shores of Øresund Sound in Humlebæk. It lies approximately 35 kilometers (~22 miles) north of Copenhagen and is easy to reach by train. The waterfront location and lush landscape surrounding will give you an example of Denmark’s beautiful nature.
Later on in this Louisiana guide, I’ll share how you can easily reach the museum and other practical information.
My impressions from the Louisiana Museum of Modern Art
In this section, you’ll see some of the photos I took while exploring Louisiana. Apart from famous masters, I was glad to discover both emerging and unknown artists.
Chaïm Soutine
In Louisiana, I first saw works by Chaïm Soutine (1893-1943). Soutine, an expressionist of the School of Paris, captured the time between the two world words using sometimes disturbing imagery -but always with an explosion of colors.
The Encyclopedia of Invisibility
I was particularly impressed by the installation of Tavares Strachan. The Bahamian artist worked for more than eight years on his project. The main focus was where our knowledge originates from and who really controls it. The Encylopedia of Invisibility is a response to the Encyclopedia Britannica, which was the most widely available source of knowledge for many years.
Strachan collected more than 15,000 articles about people and events and created an alternative encyclopedia to demonstrate how limited the Western canonical understanding of the world is.
Animatronic Mouse/Sound
Ryan Gander’s Animatronic Mouse was one of the most interesting and quirky exhibits in Louisiana. Would you like to know what the mouse actually says? You can read the full transcript here.
Louise Bourgeois X Giacometti
The two iconic figures of the art world were somehow the stars of the current exhibition. Louise Bourgeois and Alberto Giacometti shared the most beautiful hall in Louisiana. Here’s a bit of Giacometti standing next to Bourgeois’ spider.
I stood for a while in this beautiful room, admiring the spider. Bourgeois loved her mother but had constant anger against her father. These two elements were her driving force for more than half a century. She used to call those spiders “Maman” since they represented her mother. Bourgeois’ mother restored antique tapestries, and according to the artist, “She was systematic, skilled, patient, comforting, sensible, fine, subtle, indispensable, tidy and busy as a spider.”
There’s also a woven textile called “Self-pity.”
The Irreplaceable Human: Conditions of Creativity in the Age of AI
One of the latest exhibitions was The Irreplaceable Human. It presented more than 60 artists and focused exclusively on the last twenty years when AI’s development opened new horizons and threatened cornerstone elements of our civilization. The development of artificial intelligence makes us reflect upon what is unique about humanity—and the most obvious reply is creativity. However, what can we do that computers can’t, and, finally, what about humanity is irreplaceable?
Josh Kline – By Close of Business
This shocking work of art is also part of The Irreplaceable Human exhibition. These sculptures by Josh Kline are based on real middle-class workers who have lost their jobs because of automation and AI. First, factory work began to be automated. Now, the software is taking over other jobs, including those of secretaries, lawyers, and administrators.
Trevor Paglen – From Apple to Anomaly
Yet, one more photo from the exhibition about creativity in the age of AI. This time, Trevor Paglen created a fascinating installation composed of more than 13,000 images from ImageNet. According to the exhibition’s note, “To teach a computer to recognize images, an army of digital workers first have to tag the images with words describing what is in them. As a result, the classifications perpetuate people’s assumptions and biases about the world and each other. Image classification may seem innocent enough when it involves teaching a machine to recognize, say, an apple.”
Firelei Báez
Another artist I came across for the first time was Firelei Báez (b. 1981). It was actually her first solo exhibition in Europe, and Firelei Báez created impressive artworks with lush colors and symbols depicting her Caribbean background and culture.
Practical information for your Louisiana visit
In the final section of this article about the Louisiana Museum, I’ll share some practical information for your visit.
How to get to Louisiana from Copenhagen
The Louisiana Museum of Modern Art is less than one hour from downtown Copenhagen. From Copenhagen’s Central Train Station, you’ll need to take the regional train to Helsingør. The ride lasts approximately 42 minutes, and you’ll have to disembark at Humlebæk. From the picturesque station of Humlebæk, it’s a 10-minute walk to Louisiana down the main street. Since everybody disembarking at Humlebæk will head to the museum, all you have to do is follow the people. However, there are signs everywhere, so you won’t miss it.
You can use the Danish Railways planner to see how to reach the museum from your hotel in Copenhagen. The train planner is available here.
As for the museum’s location, you can see it on Google Maps here.
Louisiana Museum Tickets
The tickets for the Louisiana Museum of Modern Art cost 145 DKK, which roughly translates to 20 euros or 22 USD.
If you purchase the Official Copenhagen Card, you can enter Louisiana for free. The City Card is a good option for people planning to do extensive sightseeing in Copenhagen. However, if you only want to visit Louisiana, you don’t need it.
Opening hours
The Louisiana Museum is open Tuesday to Friday between 11:00 and 10 pm and on weekends between 11 am and 6 pm. The museum remains closed on Mondays.
The Louisiana Cafe
In the museum, you’ll find the beautiful Louisiana Cafe. Since visiting the museum will require at least half a day, unwinding at the cafe is a good idea. The Louisiana Cafe serves delicious yet pricey food, and I found the dessert selection to be great as well. Just grab a menu, and the waiter will come to your table. It’s not cheap, but it’s an experience in itself to dine close to iconic works of art.
As you can read in my small food guide about the city, The Louisiana Cafe instantly became one of my favorite places to eat in Copenhagen.
The Louisiana Museum of Modern Art Copenhagen: Final Thoughts
Enjoying a terrific location on the shore of the Øresund Sound, the Louisiana Modern Art Museum is among the top European art institutions. While the museum’s collection is impressive, the location will also leave you in awe. Legendary names of art are part of the exhibitions in the seven wings of the museum, and what I find even more important is the emerging voices you’ll discover.
Even if you are not a dedicated art lover, I highly recommend a visit to Louisiana. The short train trip through the Danish countryside, the beautiful villa housing the museum, and the sculpture garden will fascinate you. The blend of architecture and the waterfront location is prime, and having lunch at the cafe is an extra layer of enjoyment. Louisiana is an unmissable experience, and you should include it in your itinerary. Save a day from your journey and spend it in Louisiana.
More about Copenhagen: The Round Tower, Nyhavn guide, Copenhagen Airport Guide
Pin it for later
Sharing is caring. Share this Louisiana Museum guide with your friends.
Last Updated on July 13, 2024 by George Pavlopoulos