Arken Museum of Modern Art

ARKEN Museum of Modern Art is one of Scandinavia's leading contemporary art museums, set on the coast at Ishøj just south of Copenhagen. Its striking building is a landmark in itself: designed by architect Søren Robert Lund when he was only 25 years old, its sharp white forms are meant to evoke a stranded ship run aground on the shore of Køge Bay. Inside its roughly 12,000 square metres, the museum holds an impressive collection of Danish and international contemporary art from around 1990 onwards, shown alongside an ambitious programme of changing exhibitions. Among the highlights are works by internationally renowned artists such as Damien Hirst and Ai Weiwei, so a visit combines big-name modern art with the pleasure of exploring the sculptural spaces of the building itself. The long, ship-like main gallery known as the Art Axis runs through the heart of the museum and guides visitors past the collection, while smaller rooms offer more intimate encounters with individual works. What makes ARKEN especially rewarding is its setting right on the sandy beach of Køge Bay: after taking in the art you can step straight out to the water, making it as much a day by the sea as a cultural outing. That combination of bold architecture, serious contemporary art and a beachfront location makes ARKEN a distinctive stop within easy reach of Copenhagen. In summer it is well worth bringing swimwear, since the beach is right next door and rounds off the visit perfectly.