Day Trip from Copenhagen: Louisiana Museum & Kronborg Castle

During our time in Denmark we knew we wanted to take a day trip to Copenhagen so we could experience the country outside of the city a bit.

We choose to travel north of Copenhagen to the Louisiana Museum of Modern Art and tack on a trip to Kronborg Castle. And it was such a fantastic day! Here’s how you can plan your day trip there if you’re looking from some ideas, plus some details on what we did!

Traveling to Denmark? Be sure to check out some of these books about Denmark before you go!

Louisiana Museum of Modern Art

Me standing in front of large picture window overlooking greenery. Floor is brick and there is a sculpture next to me.

The Louisiana Museum of Modern Art is located in Humlebæk, about 25 miles north of Copenhagen. And my goodness it was one of my favorite places!

You know how sometimes you see a picture of a place to you think that maybe it’s just for Instagram and a place really can’t be that magical? Well, I first decided I wanted to visit the Louisiana Museum when I saw a picture similar to the one of me above and I am happy to report the museum was 100% as magical as the picture leads you to believe!

The Louisiana Museum celebrates modern art in a beautiful setting, with rotating exhibitions of art from the 20th and 21st centuries.

And not only is it an amazing art museum, it’s also just a gorgeous PLACE. The architecture of the building is stunning, and it’s surrounded by the most magical-feeling woods and looks out over the sea.

It was truly one of my favorite spots we visited in Denmark!

Large statue of a blue Big Bird sitting on a moon with planets around him. It's really colorful, and behind it you can see the water of the Sound.

Know Before You Go

Location: Gl. Strandvej 13, 3050 Humlebæk, Denmark
Hours: Tuesday – Saturday from 11:00 am to 10:00 pm.
Saturday – Sunday from 11:00 am to 6:00 pm.
Closed Mondays.
Admission Cost: Adult cost – DKK 145 (about $20).
Children under 18 are free!
Admission is included with the Copenhagen Card!

Things To Do at the Louisiana Museum

Here is some of what you can see and do at the Louisiana Museum:

Exhibitions — The exhibits in the Louisiana Museum are always changing! You can find anything from known modern painters to film and photography to exhibitions that juxtapose art and science.
Children’s Wing — The Children’s Wing makes this museum a MUST-DO if you are visiting Denmark with kids! There’s an entire three story structure dedicated to letting children explore and make art. The activities there are based on a current exhibition and allow kids to paint, sculpt, and draw in a beautiful spot. For instance, when we were they activities were adapted from the Sonia Delaunay exhibition and I discovered how much fun water-soluble pastels are!

Room for making children's art. There are tables against the wall, a table with chairs in the center, and colorful displays around the room. From the ceiling, pictures kids have painted hang from string. — Children’s Wing

Sculpture Park — The surrounding outdoor area of the Louisiana Museum is an incredible sculpture park that houses about 50 pieces. You can enjoy the overlook to The Sound, take a walk in the woods, or explore the Lake Garden. Definitely plan to spend some time outdoors here no matter what the season!

Sidewalk through green lawn leading to mid-century modern looking building. There are spherical sculptures to one side. — Walking through sculpture garden at the Louisiana Museum of Modern Art

Louisiana Cafe — Enjoy lunch or dinner at the museum’s cafe! You can eat inside or out on the terrace and enjoy amazing Danish food. Plus, since it’s an art museum, they make sure the food is visually beautiful too!
Louisiana Shop — There is a FANTSTIC gift shop at the Louisiana Museum! You’ll find standard “gift shop” souvenirs like museum-branded items and stuffed animals. But you’ll also find household goods, pottery, glassware, beautiful candles, and more!

Lunch plate with chicken and colorful salad — Even the food is pretty at the Louisiana Museum of Modern Art!

Getting to the Louisiana Museum

To get to the Louisiana Museum from Copenhagen you’ll want to take the train to Humlebæk from Copenhagen’s Central Station. The train ride takes about 40 minutes.

One you’re in Humlebæk, you’ll walk about 1/2 mile north to the museum along the street. (The sidewalks are great!) It takes about 10 minutes, and then you’ll find yourself at the museum!

Kronborg Castle

Kronborg Castle is located in Helsingør, which is about 10 km (about 6 miles) north of the Louisiana Museum. And not only is it an amazing castle, but it’s also the setting for Shakespeare’s Hamlet! (It’s known as Elsinore in the play though.)

This was one of my favorite castles we visited in Denmark. There were all kinds of family-friendly displays and special exhibits. Plus it’s just SUCH a great traditional castle! You know, like the kind you used to draw as a kid with four fortress walls and a courtyard in the middle.

Looking up at the stone walls and the windows of a castle.

Know Before You Go

Location: Kronborg, 3000 Helsingør, Denmark
Hours: April through October, Open Daily 10am to 5pm (6pm during June, July, and August)
November though March, Open Tuesday to Sunday, 11am to 4pm
Check the hours here, because they are a bit compliated
Admission Cost: 125 DKK for adults (about $14). Children under 18 are free.

Things To Do at Kronborg Castle

Here’s what you can do at Kronbrog Castle:

Castle Tour and Exhibits — Take a tour of Kronborg Castle and explore the rooms. You can see the opulent Dance Hall, the Canon Tower, the Royal Apartments, and explore the dungeon to learn about Ogier the Dane. The Castle offers guided tours daily, included in the cost of admission.
Treasure Hunts — There are treasure hunts you can do in Kronborg Castle! There is a treasure hunt for adults and a history hunt for children and families. This can be such a fun way to explore the castle (we missed out on this unfortunately!)
Special Events — The castle often has special events going on like afternoon tea offerings or after dark spooky tours.
Special Exhibitions — Sometimes Kronborg Castle will have special exhibitions going on that are definitely worth seeing! While it’s not there anymore, when we visited there was an exhibition about Danish royalty with modern portraits and costume displays. We loved it so much we bought the book that when went with the exhibit!

Long room with white and black tiled floor and wooden ceiling. Lots of windows along one wall letting in lots of light. — Dance Hall at Kronborg Castle

Getting to Kronborg Castle

To get to Kronborg Castle from the Louisiana Museum, you’ll walk back to the train station in Humlebæk and then take the train to Helsingør. From the stations in Helsingør, you’ll walk about 15 minutes along the harbor to reach the castle.

Looking out over the harbor to Kronborg Castle in the distance. — Walking to Kronborg Castle

Traveling Back to Copenhagen

Once you’re done at Kronborg Castle, consider stopping for dinner at one of the restaurants in Helsingør. We loved the charm of this little town and honestly wish we could have spent more time here. There is a main street with lots of restaurants and shops, and it’s the perfect place to grab dinner!

Then head back to Copenhagen on the train. The train ride from Helsingør to Copenhagen Central Station takes about one hour. The perfect amount of time to rest and reflect on your day trip!

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