Two people stand with bicycles in front of a modern, red-brick building with large glass windows. A colorful, circular walkway is on the roof. The sky is partly cloudy, and the sun illuminates the scene.

Written by: Niels Pallesen, General Manager at Wakeup Aarhus

Visit ARoS next time you are in Aarhus

When you visit ARoS Art Museum in Aarhus, you step into a truly unique international centre for art and experiences.

A place filled with art from the Danish Golden Age, Danish modernism and international contemporary art, sparking curiosity and interest among both children and adults.

The building covers almost 21,000 square metres across 10 floors, making it one of Northern Europe’s largest art museums.

Spiral staircase with people walking along a curved, multi-level walkway inside a modern, white building. Large windows offer views of greenery outside. Spiral staircase with people walking along a curved, multi-level walkway inside a modern, white building. Large windows offer views of greenery outside.

Art at ARoS in Aarhus

What can you expect if it is your first time visiting ARoS in Aarhus? The art museum presents a variety of major special exhibitions by world-renowned artists each year. In addition, ARoS has its own collection of more than 8,000 works dating from 1770 to the present day.

The collection is the oldest outside Copenhagen, and more recent artists such as Per Kirkeby and Bjørn Nørgaard are strongly represented. In addition, the museum features a wide range of exciting works by international contemporary artists such as Olafur Eliasson, Mona Hatoum, Carsten Höller, Bill Viola, Pipilotti Rist, Ron Mueck, Gilbert & George and James Turrell.

When ARoS opens As Seen Below – The Dome in June 2026, you will have another opportunity to experience James Turrell’s distinctive work with light, space and sky. The work is a so-called Skyspace, where the dome forms the setting for a sensory art experience that changes with the light and the time of day.

ARoS has several large exhibition areas where you can experience the museum’s own collection, current special exhibitions and remarkable works created especially for the building. One of the particularly well-known works is the sculpture Boy, created by the Australian artist Ron Mueck. The sculpture is 4.5 metres tall, weighs 500 kg and is made of fibreglass.

The work depicts a boy sitting curled up with a hunched back. His arms are placed in front of his head, partly covering his face. ARoS acquired the sculpture in 2001, and the impressive artwork is so rich in detail that the boy appears hyperrealistic and almost alive.

Find current exhibitions and read more about 'Boy' at ARoS' own website

The rainbow at ARoS – Your Rainbow Panorama

In 2011, the artwork Your Rainbow Panorama was completed at ARoS Art Museum. Your Rainbow Panorama by Olafur Eliasson was originally expected to cost DKK 30 million and be ready in 2007, but the artwork involved many challenges, resulting in an additional four years and a final cost of DKK 62 million.

The artwork is located on top of ARoS in Aarhus and, as the title suggests, offers a view over the city through the many colours of the rainbow. The circular work is 150 metres long, three metres wide and made of glass. It is visible from a great distance and, thanks to its colours, serves as a compass for the city’s residents.

When darkness falls, the artwork is illuminated by spotlights in the floor, and with 360-degree views over Aarhus, Your Rainbow Panorama at ARoS Art Museum has become a distinctive landmark of the city.

A person with a ponytail stands in silhouette, gazing outward from a window with a tint of red and orange hues. The view outside shows a distant cityscape under a bright sky. A person with a ponytail stands in silhouette, gazing outward from a window with a tint of red and orange hues. The view outside shows a distant cityscape under a bright sky.