ARKEN Museum of Modern Art () is a private non-for-profit charity, state authorised, contemporary art museum in Ishøj near Copenhagen, the capital of Denmark. The museum is amongst Denmark's major contemporary and modern art ventures, encompassing significant international cultural works and exhibitions. Arken is located in the suburb-city Ishøj, close to Køge (Køge bugt), twenty kilometres south of Copenhagen, Denmark. Arken museum was designed by 25-year old architect student Søren Robert Lund in a distinct architectural form and was authorised by Copenhagen County. It was inaugurated on 15 March 1996 and was conceived by Queen Margrethe; her majesty of Denmark. Arken Museum of Modern Art's collection offers major works of over 400 Danish, Scandinavian and International post-war art, including renowned creations by Damien Hirst, Olafur Eliasson, Anselm Reyle Shirin Neshat, Wolfgang Tillmans, Danish / Norwegian duo Ingar Dragset and Michael Elmgreen and many more. Arken, due to its synthesis of contemporary art, maritime architecture and landscape, is also acknowledged as a milestone in Danish Architecture. The museum showcases an overview of contemporary and modern art, presenting cultural and research-based exhibitions, architecture and design, sculptural artefacts, paintings, prints, site installations and mixed-media displays. History, context and influences Arken (Danish for ‘the Ark’), created and publicised in 1996, as an idiosyncratic and distinct architectural form, featuring an amassed assemble of international works. The history of Arken Museum of Modern Art has been embarked back to the museum's foundation of formulating a unit of international proportions and an active dynamic space. The museum re-opened in January 2008 after major refurbishing, which included an expansion providing an additional 50% of gallery-space. Before Arken: 1988-1992 In the 20th century, there was a global growth of contemporary art museums, significantly the Museum of Modern Art was opened in 1988. Collectively, this influenced a rise and a prominent increase in cultural institutions to showcase both local and international art. It has played a major role in the development and collection of contemporary art. In 1988, an architectural competition for the creation of a new contemporary art museum in southwest of Copenhagen took place. This resulted in 25-year-old student architect, Søren Robert Lund effectively winning first-prize of the competition and awarded the commission of its design which was finalised in 1992. The title "Arken" was also chosen from the open architectural competition. The initial idea was for Arken to be located on the beach as a characteristic maritime