ARoS Aarhus Art Museum

The ARoS Aarhus Art Museum is a major institution for contemporary art in Denmark and is considered one of the largest museums in Northern Europe. Its name derives from Aros, the old name of the city, and the capitalization is a nod to the Latin word for art. The collection was founded in 1859 by a group of art-loving citizens, who initially housed the museum in City Hall. After several moves within the city, the museum settled into its current home in 2004. The cube-shaped new building was designed by the local architecture firm Schmidt, Hammer & Lassen, chosen in an international competition. The official opening took place in the presence of Danish Queen Margrethe II, who also supported the project as its patron.

Inside, you'll find a mix of historical and modern art. The permanent exhibition includes Danish works from the Golden Age and Modernism between 1770 and 1930, as well as international contemporary art from 1980 onward. Highlights include paintings by Vilhelm Hammershøi and Peder Severin Krøyer, sculptures by Per Kirkeby, and Ron Mueck's colossal sculpture Boy, which stands four and a half meters tall. A distinctive feature of the building is the walkable rooftop installation Your rainbow panorama by Olafur Eliasson, which has become a striking landmark of the city. The outdoor grounds also contain an underground domed structure by James Turrell that works with changing light illumination. Besides its exhibition spaces, the museum also has an auditorium, a library, a café, and a restaurant. An integrated Junior Museum is aimed specifically at children, making art more accessible to them.