Post by Lee Arnold
I spent this summer in Europe and this time around I decided not to visit the major museums but instead explore some of the smaller local spots. Here is a list of six places you may not have heard of that are definitely worth a visit:
1. Louisiana Museum, Copenhagen
This museum has a nice mix of international and Danish art, and it is probably the most beautiful setting for a museum that I’ve seen. Located on the water just outside of Copenhagen, when you get tired of looking at art you can sit in the garden and look across the water to Sweden.
2. Villa Schönigen, Berlin
A small museum housed in a former villa built by the King of Prussia in the 19th century, the museum is located next to the Glienicke Bridge, which was used to exchange spies between East and West Berlin during the Cold War. It has a great outdoor cafe and sculpture garden.
3. Kirchner Museum, Davos
A major collection of Ludwig Kirchner’s alpine-themed works is housed in a modern Swiss building in Davos. When you’ve had enough of looking at pictures of the Alps you can go out an explore them yourself.
4. Musee Unterlinden, Colmar
Housed in a 13th Century former convent in the picturesque Alsatian town of Colmar, the main attraction at this museum is Grünewald’s Isenheim Altarpiece. When you are finished feeling pious go out and enjoy the fruits of the regions famous vineyards.
5. Goethe’s Summer House, Weimar
The center of German culture for centuries (and the birthplace of the Bauhaus), Goethe’s summer house is one of many cultural institutions you can visit in the small city of Weimar. Relax and soak in the sublime.
6. Spinnerei, Leipzig
A hot bed of new European culture housed in an old factory, the Spinnerei is a collection of galleries, artist studios, and other artistic non-profits. This is the next Berlin.
–Lee Arnold was born in London in 1972 and lives in Brooklyn. His work explores the nature of time and perception using a variety of media, including film, video, photography, drawing and sound. He has exhibited widely in the U.S. and abroad including at the ICA Philadelphia and at SIGGRAPH, Los Angeles and Hong Kong.
