Established in 1819, the National Museum of Denmark is housed within the remarkable grandeur of The Prince's Palace. This comprehensive museum features a varied collection that spans numerous continents and significant periods in history. From ancient Stone Age relics and sacred exhibits such as the pre-historic Sun Chariot, to exhibits procured from the Renaissance and beyond, the museum's collection is truly awe-inspiring. There are also collections of ancient treasures from Egypt and the Viking Age, as well as ethnographic collections about natives. Through a spellbinding collection that speeds through varying events in time, the National Museum of Denmark lets one relive glorious moments of a long lost past.
Truly one of the city's great museums, the Glyptotek was founded in 1888. The major collection of the museum revolves around the antique sculptures derived from civilizations surrounding the Mediterranean including the countries of Rome, Greece and Egypt. The modern sculptures by artists such as Rodin and Stephan Sinding are extensively featured inside the halls of the museum. An extension houses classic artwork, including French Impressionists like Monet, Jacques-Louis David and Pissarro as well as the works from the Danish Golden Age. Admission on Sunday is free.
Teatermuseet i Hofteatret is an enticing museum that hosts a huge collection of artifacts, photographs, drawings, paintings, engravings, costumes, set models and other exhibits that reveal history of theater in the region. A visit to the museum is an amazing way to find out how theater, music, ballets and other cultural activities developed in the country.
Fotografisk Center is located in a part of the old Carlsberg Brewery. The gallery hosts exhibitions from artists from all over the country and the world, comprising classic and modern photographers like Yoko Ono, Man Ray and Viggo Rivad. At the Fotografisk Center, you can also find a well-stocked bookshop with books for amateur photographers as well as the prints of up-and-coming photographers. Please consult the website for further information on future exhibitions.
At this museum, you can follow the development of the culture and history of the working classes in Denmark since 1850. The Workers' Museum is situated in the former Workers' Assembly Hall, which was built by the labor movement in 1879. The Assembly Hall was restored in 1985 to its original World War I splendor. Karl Liebknecht, Rosa Luxembourg and Lenin have all spoken in this hall. Nowadays, The Assembly Hall is used for exhibitions, concerts, theater and political meetings. It also houses the Cafe and Ølhalle 1892, which serves food from the 19th Century.
Museum of Copenhagen (Københavns Museum) is located near Vesterbro Torv in the Kongelige Skydeselskab building, dating from 1797. This museum gives you an opportunity to learn about the history of Copenhagen and see how the city has developed through the centuries. The history of Copenhagen is told through sounds and visuals in an interesting film on the city.
Established in 1948, The David Collection began by showcasing the private art collection of Christian Ludvig David, a renowned lawyer. Today, the museum's collection has grown significantly and includes 18th-century European art and Danish Early Modern Art. The museum's pride however, is their collection of Islamic art, that is believed to be one of the most comprehensive in Europe. Other exhibits include Danish and French ceramics, European furniture and German porcelain. The museum occupies a beautiful early 19th-century house, that was a former residence of the museum founder. Entrance is free and guided tours are available. Check website for more.
The Charlottenborg Palace was constructed in 1672-83 in Dutch Baroque style for Ulrik Frederik Gyldenlve. Queen Dowager Charlotte Amalie bought the palace in 1700 and gave it its present name. The main building facing Kongens Nytorv was built in 1827 by C.F. Hansen, and contains the Fest and Antiksalen Halls. Charlottenborg is home to the Royal Danish Academy of Art, as well as a library with a sizable collection of literature on art. First and foremost, this is the place for new and established artists to have their exhibitions, and houses the contemporary art repository Kunsthal Charlottenborg. Charlottenborg is also famous for its spring show, Forårsudstilling, an open, censored exhibition of work in painting, crafts and architecture.
Part of the Natural History Museum of Denmark and affiliated to the University of Copenhagen, the University of Copenhagen Geological Museum, offers visitors a chance to explore the Earth's geological wonders. Learn about our planet, the Solar system and how the Earth has evolved over millennia. Science buffs will appreciate the opportunity to see a piece of moon rock retrieved by Apollo 17. With a long history of collection natural curiosities and artifacts, the museum's roots go back as far as the 17th century. Located in the Parkmuseerne, a combined ticket to visit six museums is available on site.
This grandiose building was erected in 1889-96 after plans drawn by Wilhelm Dahlerup in Italian Renaissance style. In autumn 1998, an extension was opened that gave the National Gallery of Denmark the facelift it needed. The architects were Anna Maria Indrio. This deeply original new building was constructed in the park behind the original building and is connected to it by a glass-covered walkway, the so-called Street of Sculptures. The street stretches along the full length of the museum, and within it concerts and dance performances are held. The museum contains collections of art dating from the 12th Century. Among the older European and Danish collections, feast your eyes on paintings by Titian, Tintoretto, Breugel, Rubens, Frans Hals and Rembrandt. The modern collection comprises work by Picasso, Braque, Leger, Modigliani and Emil Nolde. Danish painters are richly represented, and you can enjoy the styles of Oluf Hst, Edward Weihe, Olaf Rude and Harald Giersing. Entrance to the permanent collections is free, but special exhibits require a modest entry fee.
Ordrupgaard occupies an expansive, old villa, standing in the the lush confines of a picturesque park. Established in 1916, the museum is renowned for one of the most notable collections of French and Danish art from the 19th and 20th centuries. The museum collection includes works by such Danish masters as Christoffer Wilhelm Eckerberg, Christen Kobke and Wilhelm Marstrand as well as French Impressionists Eugene Delacroix, Theodore Rosseau and Edouard Manet. The museum has a café serving coffee and light meals as well as a shop offering souvenirs and jewelry. The park is an ideal places for moments of artful contemplation.
Arken Museum of Modern Art, located in Ishøj, south of Copenhagen, houses a large museum for modern art. This building has a character of its own, given to it by architect Søren Robert Lund. The museum fits beautifully into the low-lying landscape of beach, lakes, lagoons, and dykes. From a distance, the building resembles a huge ship. The interior of the museum has been criticized for not being very suitable for exhibiting paintings. Arken Museum of Modern Art hosts exhibitions of work by world-famous modern artists, such as Dalí and Rauschenberg, as well as works by relatively unknown artists. It also contains a concert hall and a cinema.