ARKEN Museum of Contemporary Art is a state-recognised cultural beacon of the region west of Copenhagen called Vestegnen. The museum's building was designed by Danish architect Søren Robert Lund, who won the competition to build a new museum while still a young architecture student. ARKEN was inaugurated in 1996 by H.M. Queen Margrethe II.

With its deconstructivist architecture, ARKEN stands out like a giant stranded ship in the coastal landscape, with its 150-meter-long Art Axis forming the hull. There are other visual elements from the maritime world as well, such as the lifeboat-shaped café overlooking Køge Bay, the raw concrete floors, and the porthole windows in the many tall, heavy doors made of steel, complete with rivets.

The museum has undergone two expansions: in 2008 C.F.Møller's design studio was responsible for a new extension, and in 2009 Søren Robert Lund (SRL Architects) designed the new entrance hall. 


Grab your swimwear when you want to experience contemporary art or be blown away on a walk by the sea when autumn is in full swing. You can also experience large flocks of migratory birds, rare flowers, sea trout and one of Denmark's best sandy beaches at Køge Bay. The museum is surrounded by several lakes that includes Store Vejleå with a rich bird life and fish such as large perch thrive. The rare beach fleawort flaunts its yellow flower heads in July-August in Strandparken amongst sea buckthorn, curly roses and rushes.