On our way home from Helsingør, we visited the Louisiana Museum of Modern Art. Located approximately thirty minutes north of Copenhagen in the peaceful town of Humlebæk, Louisiana is one of the world's most visited art museums. During my studies in Copenhagen, I came here often and I've tried to make it into a habit for whenever I'm back. On my last visit, I was lucky enough to see Olafur Eliasson's critically acclaimed Riverbed installation a few days before it ended. It was an unforgettable experience.

Louisiana is known for its dynamic and well-researched exhibitions. The new Eye Attack: Op Art and Kinetic Art and Illumination: New Contemporary Art at Louisiana exhibits were both running during my visit, featuring works by Op Art pioneer Victor Vasarely and the legendary Ai Wei Wei, respectively. As always, they exceeded my expectations. Louisiana's extensive permanent collections are just as impressive; my favourites include the Giacometti Gallery, Asger Jorn's work, and Gleaming Lights of the Souls, an ephemeral, and introspective art installation by Yayoi Kusama.

What makes Louisiana unique is the fact that it is more than just an art museum: it's an escape from the city. The museum is situated directly on the Øresund coast, offering panoramic views of the ocean all year round. The museum grounds feature a Sculpture Park, where installation and sculpture are either juxtaposed against or immersed within the lush vegetation of the natural landscape. Architecturally, Louisiana is a modernist's dream, designed to link architecture, nature, and art together through Danish modernism. As you meander through the seven different wings, you can see, feel, and experience how the museum's natural surroundings influenced the design. With arguably the best museum gift shop in the world, the Louisiana Museum of Modern Art is a definitive must-see when in Copenhagen.

Louisiana Museum of Modern Art
Gl Strandvej 13
3050 Humlebæk
Denmark

To me, there is nothing more exciting than visiting a major gallery or famous exhibition while traveling. While in London in 2012, I fulfilled my lifelong dream of exploring the Tate Modern, a visit which happened to coincide with Yayoi Kusama's life retrospective, Infinite Kusama. In Barcelona, I had the chance to visit Museu Picasso in the historic El Born, and in Amsterdam, the famous Van Gogh Museum. With that being said, I could not leave Copenhagen without seeing Olafur Eliasson's Riverbed at the Louisiana Museum of Modern Art in Humlebæk.

Riverbed and Model Room are site-specific art installations by the Danish-Icelandic artist Olfaur Eliasson. Running from August 8th, 2014 to January 11th, 2015, I caught the exhibit just in time, and I am so happy I did. Model Room is comprised of a large table with hundreds of geometric sculptures of varying sizes: models of his developing work. The amount of detail in each model was meticulous and beautiful.

Riverbed however, is definitely the star of the exhibit. Made specifically for the museum, Eliasson filled the empty exhibition space with Icelandic rocks, creating a stream that ran through the three interconnecting rooms. You literally had to navigate your way through the exhibition, as if you were hiking through a rocky terrain somewhere in Iceland. The rocky landscape, stark white walls, and fluorescent ceiling created an extraordinary experience of contrast in which pictures do no justice. It was absolutely spectacular.

Model Room by Olafur Eliasson.

Riverbed by Olafur Eliasson.

Louisiana Museum of Modern Art
Gammel Strandvej 13
Humlebæk 3050
Denmark