The Museum of Modern Art is an airy building, designed by the Catalan architect Rafael Moneo in 1998. The museum has a top-class collection of international and Swedish modern art, as well as photography and film. Built partly ungrounded, the complex includes a cinema and auditorium; the photographic library is the most comprehensive collection of its type in northern Europe an there is also a collection of video art and art documentaries. A wide choice of books on art, photography, film and architecture can be found in the bookshop and the Restaurant MM Mat has attractive views over the water.

The large room on the entrance level is used for temporary exhibitions. There rooms on het same level have an alternating selection of collections from the eras 1900-45, 1946-70 and 1971 to the present day. The middle level has an auditorium, cinema and photographic library. Another entrance is at the lowest level.

Rafael Moneo is one of the leading contemporary architects. As a young architect, Moneo took part in the project to build the Sydney Opera House. His flair for adapting building design to sensitive surroundings was recognized in 1989 when his was chosen out of 211 entries as the winner of the competition to design the new Moderna Museet.