ARKEN first opened its doors to the public in March 1996. Behind the opening lay several years of political work to turn the area south of Copenhagen into a significant part of Danish cultural life. ARKEN is a local, regional and international art museum. and is suitable for all ages, with particular focus on communicating with children and young people. ARKEN works positively and reciprocally with other art museums, both locally and internationally. ARKEN is constantly strengthening its collection and exhibiting new works. The collection is made available for research. In years to come, the museum will strengthen the way it communicates results from both the museum’s own research and other research based on the museum’s collection.