Ordrupgaard

The Snøhetta extension at Ordrupgaard / Photo Laura Stamer

Technically, this place is not in Copenhagen but a short train ride outside the city. Nevertheless, it’s on the Copenhagen Journal must-see list as Ordrupgaard is a place you definitely want to explore, if you’re into French impressionist art, unique architecture, Danish design, and scenic surroundings that make you slow down and reflect.

If you have time to go outside of Copenhagen, Ordrupgaard is really a must. You will meet a fine mix of Danish and French impressionist art, open-air artworks by international contemporary artists, world-class architecture by Zaha Hadid and Snøhetta, and the renowned home of Finn Juhl. All of this in a recreational setting on the outskirts of Copenhagen.

Even if you are not that much into art or architecture, Ordrupgaard is still an inspiring place to visit as you can dwell in the museum park or take a break in the museum café while your travel companion explores the museum.

Zaha Hadid extension at Ordrupgaard / Photo Anders Sune Berg

LOOKS

The Ordrupgaard museum is located in a picturesque villa from 1918, which is accompanied by two extensions by Zaha Hadid (2005) and Snøhetta (2021). The museum’s surroundings include a recreational park with spectacular artworks by artists such as Olafur Eliasson and Jeppe Hein as well as the beautiful home of Danish furniture designer and architect Finn Juhl.

The villa was built by Wilhelm and Henny Hansen as an art gallery and home. Wilhelm Hansen was director of the Danish insurance company Hafnia, and he had a modern and democratic outlook on life. He introduced the principle of social insurance in Denmark, enabling people of all social classes to take out a private insurance. But he was also a dedicated art collector. He often travelled to Paris for business meetings where he developed a passion for French art. During the first world war, he took home some of the first French impressionist paintings to his private collection, and together with his wife Henny, he created one of the most impressive French art collections in Northern Europe in just three years from 1916-1918. It includes stunning pieces by Renoir, Gauguin, and Monet to name a few.

The French paintings accompanied the couple’s collection of Danish art by acknowledged artists such as Vilhelm Hammershøi, Johannes Larsen, L.A. Ring, and Thorvald Bindesbøll.

Wilhelm and Henny Hansen wanted to share their passion for art with the public and as a result, they opened the doors to the galleries at Ordrupgaard once a week, beginning in 1918. That became the foundation for Denmark’s first modern art museum. When Henny passed away in 1951, she donated the entire collection and home to the Danish state as she and Wilhelm had agreed to long before his death.

In 2005, the museum expanded with an iconic building by Zaha Hadid that houses a café. And in 2021, after three years of renovations (and a closed down museum), Ordrupgaard opened yet another extension by the Norwegian architect studio Snøhetta, which allows visitors to explore exhibitions underground.

Today, the Danish collection is in the villa and the French impressionist collection is below ground in the Snøhetta extension. It took three years to build, but it was worth the wait. It adds a refined touch to Ordrupgaard and you can sense that the entire museum got a brush-up with the new extension.

Besides the Danish and French collections, there are also temporary exhibitions at Ordrupgaard. Most recently the exhibition Home Alone by Danish contemporary artist Tal R, which has a playful and colourful twist.

When you visit, make sure you have enough time to explore the open-air works in the museum park, they are stunning and they make you want to interact. Last but not least, the house of Finn Juhl is an absolute must on your way out. It’s truly iconic and beautiful. You can sense the history in the house, and easily imagine Finn Juhl sitting at his desk drawing furniture sketches. If you like Finn Juhl’s furniture designs, it’s something special to see them come alive in his very own private home.

Ordrupgaard Park. Artwork by Jeppe Hein; Semi Circular Mirror Labyrinth II, 2013 / Photo Anders Sune Berg

Ordrupgaard Park, Artwork by Olafur Eliasson; Weather the Weather, 2016 / Photo Anders Sune Berg

TASTE

The words that best describe the taste at Ordrupgaard would be Forward-looking and respect for the past. The mix between old and new is something you don’t often see carried out successfully. And even though there are three very different architectural grips present just next to each other - the villa, the Hadid extension, and the newest Snøhetta extension - they don’t interfere with each other. Instead, they accompany each other and nod to each other.

Especially the classic gallery elements from the villa, designed by Gotfred Tvede in 1918, are reflected in the newest Snøhetta galleries too. Not 1:1 but with a reflection that makes you see the resemblance. Very smooth.

Taste in another sense of the word is relevant when it comes to the Ordrupgaard Café, which is run by Chaya, a local tea company. A tea/coffee/cake break is mandatory for many museum guests, which makes the Japanese tea house theme relevant. The lunch, however, which has a Nordic touch with seasonal greens, is okay but not exceptional. The same thing goes for the interior in the café. It doesn’t really match the stunning exterior and iconic building by Zaha Hadid. The outdoor area with seats and tables in front of the café is however very inviting – so take a seat here if you visit during summertime.

Finn Juhl’s House with Lundstrøm / Photo Henrik Sørensen

VIBE

Ordrupgaard has a certain calm vibe. If you take the S-train to Ordrup, you can walk to the museum (app. 20 minutes) and I would definitely recommend this. Ordrup is a quiet and very posh suburban area, but it sets the perfect scene for a peaceful and reflective visit since you pass by the impressive villas with neat gardens and walk through a forest leading up to the museum.

Wilhelm and Henny’s ideas about opening the doors to share their passion with the public is a feeling you still get when you visit Ordrupgaard. The exhibition galleries are spacious and there is room enough to reflect and fall into conversations about what you see. You also get a homely feeling when you visit the original villa, and you can easily imagine how the couple would have hosted dinner parties and gatherings for their friends there.

The custodians at the museum seem friendly too. When we visited, we fell into conversation with a very welcoming lady that explained the history and the original use of the rooms in Wilhelm and Henny’s villa. The perfect storyteller that seemed passionate about her job. That’s a vibe you don’t forget.

All in all, Ordrupgaard does not give you the over-run and over-hyped museum vibe from other popular museums, where you get disturbed by other visitors. I figure this matches the founder’s ideas about not packing your private home with too many people at a time as it would not allow the art to be seen and reflected upon. At least that’s what I imagine they would think. Either way, it fits with the size of the place, since Ordrupgaard is a smaller museum. Hopefully, the audience density will stay like this – at least most of the time. Surely, the popularity will increase as soon as Danish and international guests get their eyes on the museum again after the reopening in 2021. And I get why. It really is something special.

VALUE FOR MONEY

This is a no-brainer. You get a lot of value for your money at Ordrupgaard. With the museum entrance paid, you can visit all exhibitions, also the temporary. And you get access to the park, open-air artworks, and the house of Finn Juhl. Tickets are 120 DKK, which is very reasonable for a museum in this class.

Make sure to also stop by the museum shop on your way out. It’s not huge, but it has its essentials. Interesting books and posters that are very reasonably priced. I personally like to bring home posters from museum shops as they remind me of the visit. If you get the same experience at Ordrupgaard as we did, my guess is that you might feel the same way. And with posters starting from 50 DKK, it’s easy to bring home a memory of a calm and reflective museum visit to the outskirts of Copenhagen.

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Ordrupgaard / Vilvordevej 110, 2920 Charlottenlund / Website