James Turrell To Unveil The World’s Largest Skyspace Installation At ARoS Museum In Denmark

Often considered as one of the largest art museums in Northern Europe, ARoS, aka the Aarhus Art Museum in Denmark, is the oldest public art museum in the country outside of its capital, Copenhagen. 2025 marks a watershed year in the history of this museum, with its ambitious expansion project underway. The project will house two interconnected, purpose-built spaces and a new subterranean gallery dedicated to annual commissions.  A key highlight of this expansion is the installation of The Dome, a Skyspace by James Turrell.  This much anticipated, monumental creation, which is slated to officially open in June 2026 is Turrell’s largest till date and one that has already set the art world buzzing.  

Pioneering Work

Often considered ‘The Master of Light,’ American artist James Turrell is known for his iconic work in the Light and Space genre. His magnificent art installations blend natural light with colour, which is coupled with openings and transforms paces into a kaleidoscope of shape and shadow.  Since 1966, Turrell has been experimenting with light and has created masterpieces which include installations in Miami, New York, the Rocky Mountains and even the deserts of Saudi Arabia.  His innovative series of creating “Skyscapes” was born in the 1970s, wherein he began creating enclosed spaces that were open to the sky through an aperture.  These spaces are ideal for people to sit along the edges and catch a slice of the sky.  Symbolic of the inherent discord between human rationale and emotions, skyscapes have been groundbreaking creations in Turrell’s vast repertoire of work.

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Turrell’s skyspace at ARoS is his biggest and arguably the most ambitious yet, and is all set to enthral visitors right in time for the summer solstice 2026.  This spectacular creation, which incidentally is also the largest in the context of any museum in the world, sits inside a 40-meter-wide domed extension in the ARoS museum complex.  Given the sheer scale and magnitude of the installation, this Skyscape is clearly unparalleled and strengthens ARoS’ position as one of the best museums for world-class type of installations.

Mammoth Structure 

This boundary-pushing creation, also referred to, ‘As Seen Below – The Dome,’ a Skyspace by James Turrell, is in the final stages of construction with its elaborate lid being put in place.  The latter will then be covered in earth and greenery.  The colossal structure, which takes the form of a massive underground room, is a massive 50 feet high and 130 feet in diameter.  Visitors can enter the Dome from level 3 in ARoS, which takes them down a light-filled corridor forming a perfect precursor to what lies beyond.  The entire dome itself is awash with Turrell’s signature calibrated lighting and captures a magnificent view of the sky through a large central aperture.  The design helps visitors experience the essence of nature and the symphony of seasons as they view the sky that appears magically close yet boundless.  “With As Seen Below,” I am shaping the very experience of seeing rather than simply delivering an image. The architecture brings the sky close, so you recognise that the act of looking is the work itself,” says James Turrell.  

Seats placed along the edge of the dome beckon visitors to witness this remarkable spectacle, particularly pronounced during periods of sunrise and sunset.  As the day progresses, varying degrees of natural and artificial light fill the dome, making the space evolve with a multitude of hues and forms.  Each session aims to transport visitors on a meditative journey where art seamlessly blends with nature.  It serves as a constant reminder of how nature is an intrinsic part of our existence and underlines the importance of the relationship between our earth and the sky.  The entire experience is a treat for the senses and is expected to resonate with people of all age groups, irrespective of country or background.  

“We are proud that our museum will be home to James Turrell’s most significant Skyspace to date – an extraordinary work that invites visitors to slow down, lift their gaze and experience light, time and space in deeply moving ways. This is not only a remarkable artwork for ARoS, but also a new cultural landmark for Aarhus,” says Rebecca Matthews, Museum Director at ARoS.  The Dome will enter ARoS’ permanent collection as a must-see art experience.