Louisiana Museum of Modern Art

There’s a simple explanation why this art gallery has such an unusual, and un-Danish, name: It was once the private home of Alexander Brun, who had three wives over the course of his life, each of whom was named Louise. Even if the current exhibition isn’t to your taste, the museum is not to be missed. The building, which sits on a promontory overlooking the sea, is one of the world’s most charming galleries and an artwork in itself. It’s outside the city limits but is easily reached by a short train ride and a stroll through one of Copenhagen’s most affluent suburbs.

The east lawn at the Louisiana Museum of Modern Art is the perfect place to have a picnic, smell the white wildflowers, or take a short nap. And the Danes, with their commitment to hygge, would likely encourage you to do so. The museum, named for the proprietor’s proclivity for marrying women named Louise (thrice), straddles the Øresund coast and opens up to the Nivå Bay, a strait between Denmark and Sweden. With modern sculptures patterned across the pastoral grounds, benches placed for the best views, rolling creeks, a large pond, and a forested area where five Nordic houses are speckled about, the Louisiana Museum feels more like a park than a modernist haven. The museum’s blond ceilings, red brick floors, and bright windows invite you stay for a while and study the Picassos and the Warhols in the best light. The museum’s focus is modern art after 1945. The exhibits are well detailed, providing you with an educational experience. The museum is small enough to be digested in a few hours; you don’t leave feeling unfinished. When you need a break from the art, there is cafe overlooking the water. There you can enjoy warm soups or healthy sandwiches. You can also enjoy a glass of wine by a fire and reconnect with hygge (pronounced hugg-ah), a coziness, warmth, and companionship endemic to Denmark. All in all, the Louisiana Museum is a must-see day trip from Copenhagen. Just be sure to set an alarm to wake you in case you get too comfortable out there.

I take the train to Humlebaek Station. Louisiana, Denmark’s greatest museum of modern art, is a fifteen-minute walk from here. The museum was named by the property’s original owner, who married three women: all named Louisa. Leave it to the Danes to create the perfect museum: the art (Calder, Moore, Warhol, Lichtenstein, Picasso, Rauschenberg) is world-class and the setting worthy of it: billiard table lawns dotted with sculptures, slope into the Oresund Strait. I’m tickled to finally meet Giacometti’s Walking Man and stare into his craggy face after seeing him in photos for so many years. Denmark & The Danes: http://bit.ly/15aiVrj

The Louisana Museum of Modern Art is located 40 minutes outside of Copenhagen in beautiful seaside Humlebæk. Its setting on the shores of the Øresund Sound is stunning and the permanent collection of modern and contemporary art is among the most impressive in Europe. We spent most of our time in the Children’s Wing, where our son tied on a paint-splattered smock for hands-on activities like clay molding, collaging, and creating his own acrylic masterpiece. Definitely daytrip-worthy.

Now I am not a person who feels she needs to check out museums when I travel. As much as I love art, I rather use my time finding great food. That said, you would be remiss if you came to Denmark and did not visit this museum. Not only is the train ride there a lovely switch to being in the city, the actual building & grounds are art in themselves. Add an incredible permanent collection, plus a good dining room, it is an all-around lovely experience.