probably the best museums in the world
Sylvia Arthur gets caught up in the culture of Copenhagen's stunning museums, which offer a rare and stimulating combination of art, architecture and nature
Quite possibly the most beautiful museum in the world is in Scandinavia, and sits unassumingly off a modest suburban road on the coast of Zealand, an island in Denmark, overlooking the Øresund strait that connects the Baltic Sea to the Atlantic Ocean and separates Denmark from Sweden. At first sight, Louisiana is deceptively plain. The garish neon sign at the entrance of the old villa is a bold, illuminated artwork declaring “The World Is Yours” inviting the visitor to come in and experience the creative delights on offer.
Thankfully, the boldness of the initial statement lives up to its promise, minus the neon. Inside the old villa is a wonderful intersection between art, architecture and nature. Glass fronted spaces, glazed walls, clean lines and stunning landscape views provide the perfect setting to become immersed in culture and contemplation of a challenging kind. The equation is simple: the art offers food for thought, the architecture provides space for thought and the presence of nature allows much needed perspective. If the purpose of a museum and its exhibits is to inspire and provoke, to raise as many questions as it seeks to answer, then the Louisiana formula is spot on.
And it’s not just at the Museum of Modern Art that the Scandinavians have got their cultural institutions right. Every art house reinforces the fact that aesthetics, practicality and functionality are considered key to the Nordic museum experience, with the visitor not the architect at the forefront of the commissioner’s minds.
On top of that, the exhibitions that these design gems hold are equally fascinating. From expansive photographic narratives to striking sculptural works to paintings of international significance, curatorial ambitions are unbounded.
What follows is a tiny selection of Copenhagen’s copious cultural offer. For the art enthusiast, it’s a veritable treasure trove. Get stuck in!
Louisiana Museum of Modern Art. Photo: Hans Ole Madsen.
