11 Best museums in Copenhagen

Since it became one of the most important Viking fishing villages in the region in the 10th century, Copenhagen acted as a haven for the local culture, which deepened from the Middle Ages onwards when the city was chosen as the capital of Denmark. It was also chosen as the capital of Denmark. Currently, much of its heritage rests in its museums, which are a national and international reference.

Among the best activities you can see and do in Copenhagen, one of them is to discover the city through its exhibitions. To do this, include in your list the National Museum of Denmark, the National Gallery, the Design Museum, the Canal Museum, the Museum of Contemporary Art and the Natural History Museum, among others.

Book tickets to visit the National Museum of Denmark or Nationalmuseet is a must. It is the largest in the country and one of the oldest in Europe. It is located in the center of the capital and has an impressive collection of historical, archaeological and cultural objects ranging from the Stone Age to the Modern Era. It was founded in 1807 and has expanded significantly since then, acquiring and exhibiting a wide variety of objects and artifacts.

The permanent collection has more than 2 million items, including Viking artifacts, gold and silver treasures, weapons and armor, prehistoric artifacts, art objects and textiles. One of the most popular exhibits is the remains of the Tollund men, which are mummified Iron Age bodies discovered in a peat bog in Denmark in 1950. It also has a large Viking collection, which includes ships, jewelry and weapons, as well as objects from the medieval and Renaissance periods.

The museum, which is often included in the best tours of Copenhagen, also hosts temporary exhibitions, lectures and educational activities for visitors of all ages. In addition, it has a research library that is accessible to the public and activities for the little ones, making it also one of the best things to do with children in Copenhagen.

Details of interest

• Price: the entrance fee is 18 € per person.
• Location: Ny Vestergade 10, Copenhagen.
• Hours: Tuesday to Sunday from 10 am to 5 pm.

The Museum of the Resistance of Denmark reviews the history of the Danish resistance during World War II and is one of the most interesting in Copenhagen, especially for the historical value of its sample. Founded in 1957, after the reconstruction of the capital was completed, it has a collection of objects and documents related to the local resistance and the German occupation.

The collection includes uniforms, weapons, espionage tools, photographs and letters used by members of the Danish resistance. In addition, it reviews the cruelty of the German occupation, including the history of the Rescue Network, which saved thousands of Danish Jews from deportation to concentration camps in Eastern Europe. It also hosts temporary exhibitions and cultural events such as lectures and discussions on topics related to World War II.

A visit to the Resistance Museum is a must if you are a fan of World War II history and the struggle against oppression. The collection offers insight into the courage and determination of the Danes who united to resist German occupation and defend the values of freedom and democracy. There is also a library and archive with a wealth of research material on the history of the Danish resistance.

Details of interest

• Price: admission costs approximately €15 per person.
• Location: Esplanaden 13, Copenhagen.
• Hours: daily from 10 am to 5 pm.

The Danish War Museum is located in a historic building from the early 17th century and is well worth a visit. Therefore, whoever comes to this museum can enjoy a double visit: the building and its collection.

Its permanent collection is one of the largest in the world and totals up to 100,000 objects of great heritage value, including war objects such as swords, machine guns, armor, etc.

This museum takes a tour of the war history of Denmark for over 500 years and the country's role in major national and international conflicts such as World War II and the war in Afghanistan.

Details of interest

• Price: the entrance fee is approximately 18 € per person.
• Location: 3 Tøjhusgade, 1220, Copenhagen.
• Hours: Tuesday to Sunday, 10 am to 5 pm.

The Copenhagen Canal Museum is a naval exhibition located in the picturesque district of Christianshavn. It was opened in 1948 and is located in the former premises of the Holmen shipyard, which formerly housed the armament and ammunition depot of the capital's harbor.

The museum has a collection of naval weaponry, ranging from cannons and guns to mines and torpedoes. It also houses scale models of ships and artifacts related to Danish naval history and navigation, from Viking times to the present. Highlights include historic cannons that protected the entrance to Copenhagen harbor, as well as a display of torpedoes and naval mines.

In addition to its permanent collection, it organizes temporary exhibitions, interactive workshops and guided tours. Outside the museum, you can see several historic ships that are moored in the canal. Because of its proximity, you can also see from there the free city of Christiania, an ideal visit for fans of naval history and interested in the past of Denmark and navigation. In addition, you can combine the visit with a tour of the canals of Copenhagen.

Interesting details

• Price: the entrance fee is approximately €9 per person.
• Location: Stormgade 18, Copenhagen.
• Hours: daily from 9 am to 6 pm.

The Design Museum, also known as Designmuseum Danmark, is a museum dedicated to Danish design and visual culture housed in a historic 18th century building that is considered one of the finest buildings in Copenhagen.

It houses an extensive collection of design objects including furniture, ceramics, jewelry, textiles, posters and decorative art objects from the 17th century to the present day. It also features temporary exhibitions exploring different aspects of contemporary design and visual culture. Highlights include Arne Jacobsen's Ant Chair, a wide selection of Royal Copenhagen porcelain, and works by leading Danish designers of the 20th century such as Finn Juhl and Hans J. Wegner.

In addition to exhibitions, the Design Museum also offers educational programs and workshops for children and adults, and has a gift store selling Danish and Nordic design products. It also houses a café that is often included in the best food tours of Copenhagen.

Details of interest

• Price: the entrance fee is approximately €17 per person.
• Location: Bredgade 68, Copenhagen.
• Hours: Tuesday to Sunday from 10 am to 6 pm.

If you visit the Copenhagen Museum of Modern Art, you will not only get to see the exhibition and a beautiful ship-shaped building, which resembles a giant cargo container floating in the harbor shipyards, but also the coastal town of Ishøj, located about 20 kilometers from Copenhagen.

The museum houses a permanent collection of more than 400 works of modern and contemporary art, with an emphasis on Danish and Nordic art. Featured artists include Asger Jorn, Per Kirkeby, Tal R, Olafur Eliasson, Yayoi Kusama, Ai Weiwei and Damien Hirst. You can visit the exhibition on the Copenhagen sightseeing bus. In addition to its permanent collection, it organizes temporary exhibitions and cultural events such as concerts, film screenings and workshops for children and adults.

The museum also has a gift store and a restaurant overlooking the sea and is a popular place for lovers of modern and contemporary art, and its distinctive architectural design is an attraction in itself. With its rich collection and a variety of exhibitions, the museum offers a unique cultural experience.

Details of interest

• Price: entrance fee is approximately €12 per person.
• Location: Skovvej 100, Ishøj.
• Hours: Wednesday to Sunday from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.

If you want to know one of the main museums in Copenhagen, you can not miss the National Gallery of Denmark, which is the most representative art museum in the country. It is located in the historic center of the capital and houses an extensive collection of Danish and international works ranging from the fourteenth century to the present.

The gallery has a collection of more than 700 years of Danish and European art, including paintings, sculptures, drawings and decorative arts. Highlights include paintings by Danish Old Masters such as Christen Købke and Vilhelm Hammershøi, as well as works by international artists such as Rembrandt, Rubens, Goya, Picasso and Matisse. It also presents temporary exhibitions and educational programs, making it an ideal family activity.

The museum has a modern and spacious architecture, and offers a unique cultural experience for both local visitors and international tourists that is often included in the tours of the best bike tours in Copenhagen.

Details of interest

• Price: entrance fee is approximately €16 per person.
• Location: Sølvgade 48-50, Copenhagen.
• Hours: Tuesday to Sunday from 10 am to 6 pm.

If you want to visit one of the main natural science museums in the Scandinavian region, then you can't miss the Natural History Museum of Denmark, which is located in the Botanical Garden of the University of Copenhagen, in Østerbro.

It houses an extensive collection of animal, plant, mineral and fossil specimens. It includes more than 14 million specimens, making it one of the largest in Europe. Visitors can see permanent and temporary exhibits with stuffed animals, skeletons, fossils, rocks and minerals. Highlights include the life-size dinosaur skeleton exhibition and the Danish fauna exhibition, which shows the diversity of the country and how it has evolved over time.

The museum also has an educational program that includes guided tours for school groups and training courses for students and professionals. In addition, it organizes events and activities for the general public such as workshops for children, lectures and public talks, and if you plan to visit Copenhagen in summer, you can also enjoy the palace gardens.

Interesting details

• Price: the entrance fee is approximately €12 per person initially.
• Location: Øster Voldgade 5, Copenhagen.
• Hours: Tuesday to Sunday from 10 am to 5 pm.

The Thorvaldsen Museum is dedicated to the sculptor Bertel Thorvaldsen, one of the most representative Danish artists. It was founded in 1848, shortly after his death, and houses a large collection of his works with a wide variety of sculptures, ranging from his early works to the masterpieces that made him famous throughout Europe. There are also drawings, sketches, clay models and other materials that illustrate the artist's creative process.

The museum building is a tourist attraction in itself. It is neoclassical in style and features a grand marble entrance and a central staircase adorned with sculptures by the artist. The interior of the museum is designed to create an atmosphere that mimics the feel of a Roman art gallery, as Thorvaldsen found inspiration in ancient times.

The Thorvaldsen Museum is a must-see for those interested in Danish art history and culture. The museum's collection is one of the largest Thorvaldsen collections in the world and provides a unique insight into the work of one of the Scandinavian region's most important artists.

Details of interest

• Price: the entrance fee is approximately €8 per person.
• Location: Bertel Thorvaldsens Plads 2, Copenhagen.
• Hours: Tuesday to Sunday from 10 am to 5 pm.

The Hirschsprung Collection is an art museum that was founded in the early 20th century by tobacco merchant Heinrich Hirschsprung and his wife Pauline, who before their death donated their private art collection to the Danish government.

The collection has more than 7,000 pieces, mainly paintings and sculptures, spanning the artistic periods from the 18th century to the early 20th century, including works by Christen Købke, Vilhelm Hammershøi, P.S. Krøyer and Theodor Philipsen. In addition, the museum is housed inside one of Copenhagen's finest palaces, located in the Østre Anlæg park.

The Hirschsprung Collection is famous for its heritage of works by the Skagen Painters, a group of artists working in the town of Skagen, in the far north of Denmark, in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. The Skagen Painters were known for their ability to capture the unique light and colors of the Danish landscape, and their work has come to symbolize the national spirit of the time. It also houses an art library, with collection of books and magazines related to 19th and early 20th century Danish and European art.

Details of interest

• Price: the entrance fee is approximately €10 per person.
• Location: Stockholmsgade 20, Copenhagen.
• Hours: Wednesday to Sunday from 11 am to 4 pm.

The David Collection Museum is one of the smallest museums in Copenhagen, but it is also the most famous private art exhibition in the capital and one of the best things to see and do in Copenhagen. The collection is owned by entrepreneur Jens Erik Sørensen and named after his father, David Sørensen.

The museum houses a collection of more than 800 works of art, including paintings, sculptures and works on paper by representative artists from the 16th century to the present, such as Pablo Picasso and Marc Chagall. David' s collection is housed in a former brewery in the Vesterbro neighborhood and the building has been renovated and designed to house the show, with ample exhibition spaces and lighting carefully designed to highlight the artworks.

The museum also has a gift store and café. Despite its relatively small size, the David Collection Museum is a popular attraction for art lovers looking to discover a unique and diverse collection of artwork.

Details of Interest

• Price: entrance fee is approximately €11 per person.
• Location: Kronprinsessegade 30, Copenhagen.
• Hours: Tuesday to Sunday from 10 am to 5 pm.