Ragnarock – in glitter, velvet and contrasts

The landmark in Roskilde’s creative new neighborhood is golden on the outside and has plenty of red velvet on the inside. Ragnarock Museum caters to the senses in true rock & roll style.

Af Jakob Fälling

By day, the golden rivets brightly reflect the rays of the sun. At night, colored lights dance on the facade, inspired by the lighting at a rock concert. The DNA of rock & roll is integrated into the architecture of Ragnarock, a museum for pop, rock, and youth culture.

You approach the entrance to Ragnarock via red carpet, and a sound system on wheels under the large roof overhang plays the music that the museum is all about. As you enter the building, the experience immediately changes: the hard, angular exterior of the building is replaced by a red velvety interior that is soft to the touch. The red floor, ceiling and walls are inspired by the soft lining of a guitar case. The contrasts are striking.

The bombardment of the senses continues as you venture deeper into the building. The floor changes color as you move from the new building into the old concrete shell around which the museum is built. The colors in the museum cafe are matte black and gold leaf, resembling a live club in New York City. The cafe and atrium courtyard also boast many remarkable works of art. Among other things, you’ll find a bronze statue of a dolly loaded with cases of beer – a common site at music festivals.

In the exhibition on the upper floor, the museum continues to offer captivating sensory experiences. Check out the acoustics in a home studio with white bathroom tiles, and try your hand as a concert lighting operator. And, of course, there’s tons of music. And you can turn it up to full blast!

Facts

• Free access to the ground floor shop and cafe.
• The cafe is also a community center with communal suppers once a week.
• View of the neighborhood from the second floor.

The neighborhood

Ragnarock Museum is one of the cornerstones of Roskilde’s creative neighborhood, Musicon, which is built on the premises of the former concrete factory Unicon. Taking inspiration from Roskilde Festival, the architecture is wild, alternative and experimental. For example, visit the micro-shops in the container strip, beautiful Roskilde Festival Folk High School, the creative residential buildings and the impressive indoor skate park, Hal 12.

It’s no coincidence that Ragnarock’s bombastic golden facade stands in sharp contrast to the gray concrete of the old buildings – such contrasts are one of the essential and strongest elements of rock music.