🖼️ Modern art galleries in Copenhagen: my local ranking, route ideas, and how to do them right

Copenhagen is small on the map but huge on contemporary culture. I’ve spent years gallery-hopping here with friends, bikes, and bad weather jackets. Below you’ll find a punchy, honest guide to the city’s most important modern and contemporary art spaces, ranked for visitors who want the best mix of art quality, architecture, vibe, and ease of visiting. Grab a coffee. This is the list I wish someone gave me.

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⭐ Quick ranking at a glance

Rank	Gallery	Why it’s special	Overall score
1	Louisiana Museum of Modern Art	World-class collection by the sea, epic sculpture park	97/100
2	Copenhagen Contemporary	Immersive, large-scale installations in a vast industrial hall	94/100
3	ARKEN Museum of Contemporary Art	Striking “beached ship” architecture + strong shows	92/100
4	SMK – National Gallery of Denmark	Denmark’s biggest art museum, superb modern wing	90/100
5	Kunsthal Charlottenborg	Big, beautiful halls, bold programming at Kongens Nytorv	86/100
6	Den Frie Centre of Contemporary Art	Artist-run spirit in a historic wooden pavilion	84/100
7	Gammel Strand	Canalside art center with a sharp, topical program	83/100
8	Nikolaj Kunsthal	Contemporary art inside a former church tower	81/100
9	V1 Gallery	Influential Meatpacking hub with 3 spaces	80/100
10	Galleri Nicolai Wallner	Heavy-hitter program since the 90s	79/100
11	NILS STÆRK	International profile since 1997	78/100
12	Martin Asbæk Gallery	Central, polished, varied media	76/100
13	Galleri Bo Bjerggaard	Painter-forward program, Meatpacking legacy	75/100
Bonus	Ordrupgaard + Finn Juhl’s House	Modern masters meets Danish design icon	❤️ must-see

Scoring blends collection or program strength, architecture and setting, visitor experience, and access. It’s subjective, sure, but it’s honest.

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1) Louisiana Museum of Modern Art 🌊🌿

Map: Louisiana Museum of Modern Art

If you can do only one, make it Louisiana. It’s a seaside modern-art paradise with a 1945-to-present collection of 4,000 works, sculpture gardens that tumble down to the Øresund, and galleries stitched into nature so gracefully you forget where the building ends and the landscape begins. Plan a slow day here. The café’s views steal time. Trains from Copenhagen run directly to Humlebæk and it’s a short walk to the museum. (Louisiana Museum of Modern Art)

Best for: A full-day art-and-nature reset
Tip: Go early, do the Sculpture Park first if it’s sunny, then loop indoors when light softens.
Allow: 4–6 hours

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2) Copenhagen Contemporary ⚙️🎥

Map: Copenhagen Contemporary

Housed in a 7,000 m² former B&W welding hall on Refshaleøen, CC is Copenhagen’s playground for total installations, monumental video, and performances you feel in your bones. It’s 10 minutes by bike from Kongens Nytorv and the industrial surroundings make it feel like you’re sneaking into the city’s creative engine room. Thursdays run later, which pairs perfectly with a harbor sunset. Free with Copenhagen Card. (Copenhagen Contemporary)

Best for: Big, immersive shows you can literally walk into
Tip: Pair CC with food market time at Refshaleøen.
Allow: 2–3 hours

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3) ARKEN Museum of Contemporary Art 🛳️✨

Map: ARKEN Museum of Contemporary Art

ARKEN looks like a stranded white ship in the dunes south of the city. Inside, you’ll find a mix of international names and Nordic voices, with scenography that’s often playful and thought-provoking. Combine it with a beach walk if the weather behaves. Thursday nights are longer. (Visit Copenhagen)

Best for: Architecture lovers and families who like hands-on programs
Tip: S-train to Ishøj, then bus or a flat walk to the museum.
Allow: 2–3 hours

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4) SMK – National Gallery of Denmark 🧠🏛️

Map: SMK – Statens Museum for Kunst

Denmark’s largest art museum anchors the city’s cultural life. Beyond the historical riches, SMK’s modern and contemporary galleries are strong, and SMK Open puts tens of thousands of images in the public domain for free. The glass-roofed streetscape between the old and new wings is a great breather between galleries. (SMK – Statens Museum for Kunst)

Best for: A smart half-day that spans modern classics to now
Tip: Check SMK Fridays for evening openings with talks and music.
Allow: 2–4 hours

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5) Kunsthal Charlottenborg 🎬📚

Map: Kunsthal Charlottenborg

One of Northern Europe’s most beautiful contemporary art halls right on Kongens Nytorv. Expect ambitious international exhibitions plus a cinema, a superb bookstore, and a bar. It’s also home base for CHART art fair and hosts parts of CPH:DOX, the city’s documentary film festival, so the energy here is constant. (Visit Copenhagen)

Best for: Big-room shows in the heart of town
Tip: Pop into the bookshop even if you’re short on time.
Allow: 60–90 minutes

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6) Den Frie Centre of Contemporary Art 🌲🧪

Map: Den Frie Centre of Contemporary Art

Founded by artists in 1891, Den Frie lives in a listed wooden pavilion near Østerport. The program leans into artist communities, experimentation, and timely issues. Shows rotate frequently, so check what’s on. The building itself is reason enough to visit. (denfrie.dk)

Best for: People who like to be surprised
Tip: Den Frie is occasionally closed between exhibitions. Check dates before you go. (copenhagencard.com)
Allow: 60–90 minutes

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7) Gammel Strand 💬☕

Map: Gammel Strand

Rebranded from GL STRAND in 2024, this canalside art center curates 6–8 exhibitions a year with a keen eye on the now, from intimate stories to global dilemmas. The townhouse setting is beautiful and the café is the kind of place where conversations linger. (gammelstrand.dk)

Best for: Sharp, topical shows in the historic center
Tip: Combine with a stroll along the canal toward Christiansborg.
Allow: 60–90 minutes

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8) Nikolaj Kunsthal ⛪🎨

Map: Nikolaj Kunsthal

A contemporary art venue inside a former church near Strøget. The changing exhibitions are often experimental, and the setting does half the storytelling the moment you step inside. (nikolajkunsthal.kk.dk)

Best for: Atmosphere lovers and photography-friendly spaces
Tip: If the tower is open, climb it for city views.
Allow: 45–90 minutes

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9) V1 Gallery 🧩🖼️

Map: V1 Gallery

Since 2002 V1 has been a pulse point for Copenhagen’s scene. Today it runs three spaces in the Meatpacking District: V1 Gallery, V1 Salon, and Eighteen. Expect a smart mix of emerging and established artists, books and editions, talks, and an always-curious crowd. (V1 Gallery)

Best for: Gallery-weekend energy in one block
Tip: Swing by later in the afternoon, then stay for dinner in Kødbyen.
Allow: 30–60 minutes per space

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10) Galleri Nicolai Wallner 🧭

Map: Galleri Nicolai Wallner

Opened in 1993, Wallner’s gallery has been a launchpad for many careers and still feels essential. Shows range from razor-sharp debuts to museum-level solo presentations, and the industrial space fits the work. (Nicolai Wallner)

Best for: Serious collectors and curious newcomers
Tip: Check what’s on before heading out; openings are lively.
Allow: 45–60 minutes

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11) NILS STÆRK 🧪🌍

Map: NILS STÆRK

With an international profile since 1997, NILS STÆRK shows conceptually driven artists across media. It’s one of the best reads on where Danish and global conversations are heading. (NILS STÆRK)

Best for: Conceptual threads, clean installs
Allow: 30–45 minutes

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12) Martin Asbæk Gallery 🎯

Map: Martin Asbæk Gallery

Polished, central, and consistent. Asbæk mixes well-established names with rising voices in painting, sculpture, and photography. Easy to pair with Designmuseum or Charlottenborg nearby. (Martin Asbæk Gallery)

Allow: 30–45 minutes

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13) Galleri Bo Bjerggaard 🎨

Map: Galleri Bo Bjerggaard

Founded in 1999 and long associated with the Meatpacking scene, Bo Bjerggaard presents international contemporary art with a strong painterly backbone, alongside sculpture, photo, video, and installations. (Art Basel)

Allow: 30–45 minutes

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14) Andersen’s 🧪⚡

Map: Andersen’s

Evolving from a Berlin apartment project, Andersen’s has been shaping the city’s scene since 2005 with a program that’s daring and international in tone. (Andersen’s)

Allow: 30–45 minutes

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Bonus: Ordrupgaard + Finn Juhl’s House 🪑🌳

Map: Ordrupgaard

Strictly speaking, Ordrupgaard is modern rather than contemporary, but it’s too special to skip: French masters, a beautiful architectural ensemble, and next door the late architect-designer Finn Juhl’s own house, a living textbook of Danish modernism. Weekends are best for the house unless you book a guided slot. (Ordrupgaard)

Allow: 2–3 hours for museum + 45 minutes for the house

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How to string them together without rushing 🚲🧭

• One epic day
  Morning at SMK, lunch nearby, bike to Kunsthal Charlottenborg, then roll out to Copenhagen Contemporary for late Thursday hours. Sunset over the harbor is the cherry on top.
• Two days, coastal edition
  Day 1: Louisiana all day. Day 2: ARKEN late morning plus beach walk, back to town for V1 and dinner in Kødbyen.
• Rain plan
  SMK + Gammel Strand + Nikolaj Kunsthal stay compact and central.

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Practical bits I wish more guides told me 🧠

• Tickets and passes
  Copenhagen Card covers several of these, including Copenhagen Contemporary. Always check current listings and any late-opening days before you go. (Copenhagen Contemporary)
• Getting around
  Bikes rule. CC is an easy 10-minute ride from central. For Louisiana, trains run directly to Humlebæk from Copenhagen several times an hour. (Copenhagen Contemporary) (Louisiana Museum of Modern Art)
• Time budgeting
  If you love to linger, double the times above. Copenhagen invites wandering.

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Why these made the cut

I ranked for travelers first: powerful art, memorable spaces, and friction-free visits. Louisiana tops the list because it’s a total mood: museum, landscape, sea. CC and ARKEN follow because they make contemporary art feel physical and fun. SMK is the anchor that fills in the bigger picture. The rest round out a city where you can see bold international names and catch the next wave before it breaks.

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Handy Google Maps links

• Louisiana Museum of Modern Art
• Copenhagen Contemporary
• ARKEN Museum of Contemporary Art
• SMK – Statens Museum for Kunst
• Kunsthal Charlottenborg
• Den Frie Centre of Contemporary Art
• Gammel Strand
• Nikolaj Kunsthal
• V1 Gallery
• Galleri Nicolai Wallner
• NILS STÆRK
• Martin Asbæk Gallery
• Galleri Bo Bjerggaard
• Ordrupgaard

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Final word

Copenhagen’s modern art scene isn’t just something you see. You feel it in your shoulders relaxing at Louisiana’s shoreline, in your pulse when a CC installation swallows the room, and in the quiet curiosity that follows you out of Den Frie into the trees by Østerport. That’s the magic here. It sticks with you. Go slow, pick a couple per day, and let the city do its thing.