Louisiana MoMA brings together art, architecture, and nature.

The Louisiana Museum of Modern Art promised us one of the best cultural escapes on our Denmark road trip. Was it really that great?

The Louisiana Museum of Modern Art is one of Denmark's top attractions for contemporary and modern art. It's located in the small town of Humlebæk on the east coast of Zealand Island, about 40 kilometers north of Copenhagen. While we're not exactly huge fans of contemporary art, we do enjoy checking out an intriguing modern exhibition now and then. And with a sculpture park and a beach also on the grounds, the Louisiana MoMA just seemed too interesting for us to pass up.

But our journey to this museum wasn't as straightforward as we had first imagined. The thing about the Louisiana Museum of Modern Art for us was that we had planned to visit Helsingør with Kronborg (starting very early in the morning) and then arrive at Frederiksborg Castle before 4 PM to catch the castle tour. Since the Louisiana Museum of Modern Art sits kind of halfway between the two, we were really tempted to squeeze it into our itinerary, but we weren't sure we'd have enough time. So we left the museum in the optional column of our itinerary and waited to see how the day would unfold. And if everything went smoothly, we'd make a stop there.

Since I'm writing this guide on the Louisiana Museum of Modern Art, it's pretty clear we managed to fit in a visit between both castles. So join us as we walk you through how it went and whether or not the Louisiana Museum of Modern Art is really worth checking out.

Louisiana is packed with tons of contemporary art in various styles.

Experiencing the Louisiana Museum of Modern Art

Lucie, who's been in charge of keeping track of all of Zealand's must-sees, had been talking about the Louisiana Museum of Modern Art long before we even reached the island. I think she brought it up while we were still in Ribe or somewhere around there, though we definitely talked more about it after our visit to ARoS in Aarhus, another of Denmark’s well-known contemporary museums.

And I have to admit, ever since she mentioned that it's not just about art galleries but also has an outdoor section with sculptures and panoramic views of the Øresund Coast, I was hooked. So I'll start off with a few thoughts, and then move on to what we saw inside.

Louisiana MoMA is divided into four main wings.

My Expectations of Louisiana MoMA

From the little information she gave me, I built up some expectations about what the museum might be like. I figured it could very well be the European version of Brazil's Inhotim, one of the most incredible museums we've ever visited (a few years back). But after years of traveling, I've learned that expectations don't often line up with reality, so I was genuinely curious to see how far off they'd be.

This is exactly how I pictured Louisiana MoMA and its sculpture garden.

We didn't book any tickets in advance and had no issues buying them on the spot, even though it was a super busy weekend. Right from the start, I have to say the Louisiana MoMA was very different from what I expected. It was much smaller. The whole museum had an almost intimate vibe and offered a unique kind of experience in that sense (apart from the crowd, of course).

There were actually fewer people indoors than out, which was a surprise.

Weekend Crowds at Louisiana

Another thing we noticed right away was how busy the museum was. While Kronborg had been surprisingly quiet, Louisiana was the total opposite. It started with the parking, which was packed (I'll talk more about that later), then continued at the ticket desk, and stayed busy throughout the whole visit. Of course, it was a beautiful, warm, sunny day, so the mix of modern art and outdoor spaces drew in a lot of people, whether it was young couples like us (Lucie note: "you wish, Martin!") or families with kids.

I later found out that Louisiana is the most visited museum for modern and contemporary art in Scandinavia, which explained a lot. We wouldn't say the visit wasn't enjoyable, but we both prefer a quieter atmosphere in museums. So if you can, try to avoid weekends when the museum is at its busiest. That said, even on a busy day, Louisiana still offered a pleasant experience, especially compared to overcrowded spots like the Louvre or Versailles, which we visited during our trip to Paris.

Louisiana is Best Visited on a Good Weather Day

I have to say the entire outdoor area is definitely a big reason why Louisiana is such a great place to visit, and it's somewhere you can absolutely spend extra time if your plans allow. But at the same time, it's no surprise this really only applies when the weather's good. When it's not, well, that's a different story.

The museum seemed way more crowded in real life than it does in my photos.

We've run into a few downpours during our trip through Denmark, like in Kolding or Skagen, and we can only imagine it'd be way less fun to explore Louisiana's outdoor space. We're not saying Louisiana isn't worth visiting on a rainy day (there's still so much to see inside, right?), but you would definitely miss a major part of the experience.

Unlike ARoS, which I just mentioned and is great anytime, it's worth checking the weather forecast before visiting Louisiana MoMA so you know what to expect. If there's heavy rain predicted, it might be better to push your visit to another day if possible.

What's There to See at the Louisiana Museum of Modern Art

Anyway, we headed deeper into the museum, starting with the Franz Gertsch exhibition. Like most museums, Louisiana has a mix of exhibitions, some permanent, others temporary. This one was the latter, and it was by far the best we saw inside. Gertsch began with some (dare I say interesting) photographs, which he then turned into large-scale photorealistic paintings. The result was truly impressive. Contemporary art can be hit or miss, but this concept wasn't too out there and felt very approachable, even for folks like us.

The Gertsch exhibition was really captivating.

Another standout temporary exhibition was The Refusal of Time by William Kentridge. The installation combined projections, music, and animations, with a 'living' machine in the center, making it one of the more difficult pieces to fully understand, or even describe. That said, it really drew us in, and we spent quite a while in the large room, looking for the key themes of this visual drama and picking up on the small details (though probably not very successfully).

The Refusal of Time takes up a whole room!

The permanent collection includes Kusama's mesmerizing Gleaming Lights of the Souls and the Giacometti Gallery, but there's much more to discover, since the museum houses over 3,500 works of modern and contemporary art in total. Artists like Andy Warhol, Pablo Picasso, Louise Bourgeois, and David Hockney are all featured. There was a lot to absorb, but the museum as a whole didn't feel overwhelming at any point.

Bourgeois's Spider Couple is among the most iconic sculptures you’ll find at Louisiana.

Apart from the art, another great thing about Louisiana was the museum's design and the way some exhibitions were set up. It showed classic Scandinavian minimalist architecture, mixing traditional gallery spaces with bright rooms filled with natural light. Taken as a whole, it made for a very enjoyable visit, especially when we entered rooms or corridors that looked out onto the lush green park.

One of many sculptures displayed in the North Wing.

Speaking of the park, one of Louisiana Museum of Modern Art's biggest draws is the green space around it. It really separates the museum from others and offers a great place to explore. Louisiana says it's one of the most beautiful museums in the world, and there's some truth to that, although I wouldn't stretch it that far. Still, we did enjoy exploring the Sculpture Park with more than 60 pieces of art, especially since we mostly discovered them on our own without using the map. Besides the art, we also enjoyed some lovely views of the Øresund coast.

There was lots of contemporary art scattered throughout the sculpture park.

Some of the most notable art installations in the Sculpture Park were Reclining Figure No. 5, The Gate, and Self Passage. The last one was especially interesting because we actually missed it the first time, even though we walked right across it and only realized when we turned back to look for it.

Reclining Figure No. 5 is one of the most recognizable works in Louisiana's sculpture park.

Probably the coolest part of the whole visit was discovering that Louisiana even has a small beach, which was definitely not something we expected to find at a museum (if you want to see some incredible beaches, you need to go to Thy NP or the Wadden Sea). You get to it by a nice little trail, and above the beach, there's a wooden platform with seating. Surprisingly, it was much calmer than the rest of the park. It was the only spot where we actually sat down for a few minutes and enjoyed the beautiful sea views.

This charming sandy stretch of beach is also part of the Louisiana museum experience.

How Long to Spend at the Louisiana Museum of Modern Art

With limited time, we spent roughly two hours inside the Louisiana Museum of Modern Art and another 30 minutes in the park. Because we were short on time, we focused on the art, skipped the café (which we might have done even with more time), and simply walked through the park without resting on the lawn or soaking up a quiet moment at the beach like others did.

Had we had more time, we definitely would have taken the visit at a more leisurely pace, especially since it was such a beautiful day. I'd say three to four hours at the Louisiana Museum of Modern Art would feel much more relaxed, especially if the weather's good and you spend plenty of time outside.

Not much more to add about this view of Øresund's coast from Louisiana.

Can You See Louisiana, Frederiksborg, and Kronborg in One Day?

As soon as we got back in the car, we headed over to Frederiksborg Castle, one of Denmark's most stunning castles. If you enjoy royal history, Renaissance architecture, and French-style gardens, this water castle is a must-see (it's like Egeskov but much bigger). That leads us to the question we had at the beginning of the day: Is it possible to visit Louisiana, Frederiksborg, and Kronborg all in the same day?

As you can see, if you plan your day right and get an early start, it's definitely doable to see all three major attractions in a single day, even when traveling from Copenhagen. If you're tempted to follow in our footsteps, I've got three tips that might help you plan your visit.

First, if we were heading back to Copenhagen or staying longer on Zealand, we'd likely visit Frederiksborg first, then Kronborg, and leave Louisiana for last because it has the longest hours, especially on weekdays. But since this was our final day in Denmark and we were driving back to Prague afterward (via Jutland), we planned the day as we did.

Louisiana is among the most popular attractions outside Copenhagen.

Second, I thought, at first, we were able to pull this off mainly because we traveled by car, which made getting between all the sites really easy. Later, I looked up the DSB railway network and saw that this trip can also be done by train without much trouble, since Copenhagen, Humlebæk, Helsingør, and Hillerød are all well linked by rail.

Finally, it was a long day for us, especially since we had to drive home afterward, so this was really the only way to make it work. There wasn't much time to chill or relax, but it didn't feel overly rushed, just a full day on the road. If you prefer a slower pace, I'd recommend splitting the trip into two days (you can spend a few hours in Helsingør) or dropping one of the places.

The Gate is another famous sculpture in Louisiana's park.

Entry Fee to Louisiana MoMA

Admission to the Louisiana Museum of Modern Art is 145 DKK for adults, which is about the same price we paid at other Danish museums. You can book tickets online through their official website, but it's not necessary since you can buy them on site, like we did.

Just remember that the Louisiana Museum of Modern Art is included on the Copenhagen Card, which can be a great value if you plan to visit Copenhagen's attractions as well as a few spots outside the city.

Giacometti's sculptures are one of the cornerstones of the Louisiana Museum's collection.

Louisiana's Opening Hours

Louisiana Museum of Modern Art is open all year, Tuesday through Friday from 11 AM to 10 PM, and Saturday and Sunday from 11 AM to 6 PM. It's closed on Mondays. Because it stays open later on weekdays, we'd suggest visiting during the week to skip the weekend crowds.

The contemporary art at Louisiana MoMA comes in all sizes and shapes.

Travel Insurance

We never leave home without travel insurance that was designed to cover our expenses if something goes wrong during the trip. Travel insurance protects against theft, flight delays, injury, illness, cancellations, and much more. Travel smarter and safer!

World Nomads provides travel insurance for travelers to cover their trip essentials, including sports and adventure activities.

SafetyWing is affordable travel insurance for backpackers, long-term travelers, and digital nomads.

Getting to the Louisiana Museum of Modern Art

The Louisiana Museum of Modern Art sits on the northern edge of Humlebæk, which is easy to reach by train from Copenhagen or by car from wherever you start your day on Zealand.

By Car: Copenhagen's city center is about 40 kilometers south of the Louisiana Museum of Modern Art. While we stayed on the outskirts, our hotel was 55 kilometers away since it was quicker to take the E47 instead of driving through the center. You can compare rental car prices in Denmark here.

The entrance to Louisiana Museum is through these inconspicuous-looking doors.

By Train: Taking a DSB train to the Louisiana Museum of Modern Art is the best way to get there from Copenhagen if you're using public transport. The trains run frequently, several times an hour. The stop is at Humlebæk Station, about 900 meters from the museum, which is roughly a 10-minute walk along a somewhat busy road.

Just so you know, this train continues all the way to Helsingør, so visiting both spots on the same day is easy. There's also bus 388, which stops at Louisiana (Humlebæk Strandvej), very close to the museum, but the train is definitely the better choice.

Louisiana MoMA Tour: If both options feel like too much hassle, you can always take the easy route and join a guided tour to Louisiana Museum of Modern Art.

We explored Louisiana Museum on our own.

Parking at Louisiana MoMA

There's free parking at the Louisiana Museum of Modern Art, so we left our car there. The only small hassle was that when we arrived, the parking lot was completely full. We pulled into what looked like the main lot (GPS coordinates: 55.96943, 12.54112), but had no luck finding a spot.

Because this lot has a one-way exit, we had to leave, return to the main road, and make another loop. It made us think back to the last time this happened, probably in Banff or Yellowstone.

On our second try, we had better luck when someone was just about to vacate a spot on the right side of Strandvej. When we left, it was pretty much the same situation, except this time, other visitors were waiting for our spot.

Accommodation Near Louisiana Museum of Modern Art

While Humlebæk, where the museum is located, doesn't offer much in terms of accommodation, you'll find several nice hotels within a short drive. Hotels like Comwell Borupgaard and Kokkedal Slot Copenhagen are among the best near the Louisiana Museum of Modern Art if you want to stay in quiet coastal areas. The night before the trip, we stayed at the AC Hotel Bella Sky in Copenhagen, which also makes a good base for visiting the museum (I mean the city).

Travel Resources

Here you can find links to all the travel resources we use and which you might find helpful when planning your next holiday.

Accommodation: When looking for accommodation, we usually search hotels via Booking.com or Hostelworld.

Tours: Although we love to travel independently, some places are better to visit with a guided tour.

We prefer GetYourGuide for its easy-to-use interface and solid reputation. Another great alternative is Viator.

Rental Cars: When going on a road trip, we always use Rentalcars.com, a reliable site for booking a rental car in advance.

Flight Tickets: When looking for flight tickets, you can search Skyscanner to find the best price.

Travel Insurance: World Nomads and SafetyWing cover against risks of travel.

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Visiting the Louisiana Museum of Modern Art