SMK – The National Gallery of Denmark SMK - The National Gallery of Denmark (Statens Museum for Kunst) is Denmark’s largest art museum, featuring outstanding collections of Danish and international art from the past seven centuries. SMK is located just off of Copenhagen's Nørreport station. Here you can experience special exhibitions, the royal collections, guided tours, performances, art talks, concerts, workshops and much more. At the SMK you can enjoy the grand masters of art history along with cutting-edge contemporary artists and the rising stars of the art scene. No other museum in Denmark shows such a rich and varied selection of art – from the European classics of the Renaissance to the overwhelming diversity of modern and contemporary art. Here you will find gems by artists such as Mantegna, Nolde, Anna Ancher, Derain, Rubens, Matisse, Hammershøi, Munch, Abramovic, Danh Vo and Elmgreen & Dragset. SMK is especially famous for its beautiful collection of Danish Golden Age art, the country’s most comprehensive collection of Danish contemporary art – and one of the world’s best Matisse collections.  

Ny Carlsberg Glyptotek is located in the center of Copenhagen and the museum collection consists primarily of Danish and French art work of the 19th century and archaeological artefacts from ancient Egypt, the Greek and Roman impires, and from the Middle Eastern cultures. Art and beer Ny Carlsberg Glyptotek was founded by the brewer, Carl Jacobsen (the founder of Carlsberg breweries), who was one of the great industrial magnates of the 19th century and the greatest art patron Denmark has seen. In 1888 Carl Jacobsen gave his art collection to the public and began the building of the Glyptoteket. Glyptoteket has been open to the public since 1897 and holds over 10,000 works, primarily divided between ancient antiquities and Danish and French sculpture and paintings from the 19th century. The collection The collection of ancient sculptures includes an extensive collection of Ancient Greek and Roman portrait heads as well as a large collection of Palmyrene portraits. The modern part of the collection includes French sculptures from the 19th century – featuring a significant selection of works by Auguste Rodin – and French paintings from 1800 to 1950, with Impressionism and Paul Gauguin as the absolute stars, plus a collection of Danish Golden Age Art. The main proportion of the collection is part of the museum’s permanent exhibitions, though there are, also, temporary special exhibitions which help to develop a perspective on the museum’s collection with the aid of works on loan. The Winter Garden, café and roof terraceUnwind from the daily grind at the café overlooking the beautiful and spacious Winter Garden. Picnic is open on the same days as the museum itself. They serve tasty light lunches, desserts, coffee and other beverages. Visit the roof terrace of the Glyptotek and experience a beautiful view of Copenhagen and the city towers. Every summer, the museum café serves cold drinks, snacks, coffee and cake for you to enjoy in open air. Special Exhibitions Alia Farid - A Sounding of the Earth, 2 October 2025 – 31 May 2026 The exhibition A Sounding of the Earth presents the Kuwaiti-Puerto Rican artist Alia Farid, whose work explores the many intertwined past and present histories of the Arabian Gulf. By linking ancient artefacts with today's global oil industry, Farid's work traces how eco- systems, cultures and life forms are shaped by political forces and extractive industries - but also how they testify to resistance and resilience. Gauguin & Kihara – First Impressions, 8 May 2025 – 6 December 2026 The Glyptotek holds one of the world’s finest collections of works by the French artist Paul Gauguin (1848–1903). In recent years, many of the museum’s 58 Gauguin pieces—including paintings, woodcarvings, drawings and ceramics—have been on loan to renowned museums across the globe. Now, they return home to be shown together in a presentation, offering new perspectives on Gauguin’s well-known works. The Gauguin collection is joined by the Japanese-Sāmoan contemporary artist Yuki Kihara (b. 1975) and her video work First Impressions: Paul Gauguin, recently acquired by the museum. Together, their works open a dialogue across time, cultural divides and vast oceanic distances. Degas' Obsession, 8 May 2025 – 29 November 2026 On 8 May, the Glyptotek opens a new exhibition centred on Edgar Degas’ enigmatic painting Dancers Practising in the Foyer and the research that has recently led to a proposed revised dating of the work. Degas’ Obsession delves into this single painting, exploring its history and its significance in understanding Degas’ artistic practice. Ballet scenes were a central theme in Edgar Degas’ career, yet Dancers Practising in the Foyer has long been difficult to place in relation to his other ballet paintings. The painting is immediately puzzling—seemingly not finished, with very unevenly applied paint layers, drastically different tones and a dominant shadow from a partially overpainted figure.

You will find Ordrupgaard in scenic, peaceful surroundings just 10 km north of Copenhagen. The museum offers a unique array of world-class art, design and architecture. The park has art to enjoy, too. Monet, Degas, Gauguin – and Hammershøi At Ordrupgaard, you can explore one of Northern Europe’s most important collections of French Impressionism, featuring leading figures like Monet, Degas and Gauguin. In addition, visitors can enjoy an exquisite collection of Danish art focusing on Vilhelm Hammershøi and his contemporaries – as well as a succession of special exhibitions. Finn Juhl, Zaha Hadid and Snøhetta You can also visit the former home of furniture designer Finn Juhl. His iconic furniture engages in a lively dialogue with leading Danish modernist artists, just like when Finn Juhl lived here. OBS. You are not granted access to Finn Julhs House with Copenhagen Card. You have to buy a seperate ticket in advance – DKK 75: https://billet.ordrupgaard.dk/en/tickets Guided tours to Finn Juhl’s House in English: Tuesday-Friday. Saturday and Sunday Finn Juhl’s House is open at 11am-5pm and you may discover the house by yourself. Star architect Zaha Hadid and the award-winning design studio Snøhetta have also made their imprint on Ordrupgaard. Art in the open air In the park, you can explore works by leading contemporary artists. All visitors  can give their inner child free rein, because here you are welcome to run, jump and climb on the art. Of course, you may simply prefer to settle on the lawn and enjoy the many sensory impressions offered by the scenic park. Ever since the couple who founded Ordrupgaard, Wilhelm and Henny Hansen, moved here in 1918, a pleasant, informal atmosphere has infused this place. It still does, making the museum popular with all generations. In the café, the chefs conjure up dishes from fresh Nordic ingredients to provide pit-stop refreshments with breathtaking views to green parkland. Exhibitions Plant Fever. The World on the Windowsill https://ordrupgaard.dk/en/udstillinger/plantfever/ Jean Gauguin & the art of ceramics https://ordrupgaard.dk/en/udstillinger/jean-gauguin-and-ceramics/ Hammershøi and danish art around 1900 https://ordrupgaard.dk/en/udstillinger/hammershoi-og-dansk-kunst-omkring-ar-1900/ French masterpieces from Monet to Matisse https://ordrupgaard.dk/en/udstillinger/franske-mestervaerker-fra-realisme-til-impressionisme/

Vivid colours and grand architectural design characterise the museum, which houses the works of the world-famous Danish sculptor Bertel Thorvaldsen. Thorvaldsens Museum opened on September 18th 1848 and was the first public museum in Denmark. The characteristic building was built to exhibit the extensive works of the sculptor Bertel Thorvaldsen. Today the museum looks more or less as it did when it opened over 150 years ago. A tour of the museum reveals a very special opportunity to enjoy world-class art and architecture. The museum houses the work of the world-famous Danish sculptor Bertel Thorvaldsen (1770-1844). Located at Slotsholmen in the heart of Copenhagen the museum is very close to some of the most popular attractions of the city.  Their free audio guide offers visitors a glimpse into the history of the sculptures which represents Roman gods and famous historical personages. Special exhibitions (thorvaldsensmuseum.dk): Thorvaldsen - Works and days An introduction to the famous sculptor. 

On the edge of Copenhagen Harbour sits The Black Diamond as a beacon of culture. The Black Diamond is Royal Danish Library's cultural centre in Copenhagen with lots of exhibitions all year round. Storytelling, sensuous experiences and unique objects set the mind in motion when visiting exhibitions in The Black Diamond. With cultural heritage as an inexhaustible reservoir, everything from Søren Kierkegaard to contemporary art is staged, with particular emphasis on literature and photography. Exhibitions 2026 The World around Us – Permanent Exhibition In The Black Diamond's new collection exhibition, we turn our gaze towards the landscape and everything that surrounds us. The exhibition takes us on a journey through the last 200 years of photographic history and focuses on how we have depicted and understood land and city through photography – from the romantic landscape photography of the 19th century to the Industrialisation's enthusiasm for cities and buildings to the climate challenges of today. Treasures in the Royal Danish Library  – Permanent Exhibition An exhibition with library's most precious, beautiful, significant, and valuable treasures. From the oldest of manuscripts to the Internet's ever increasing digital cultural heritage. Explore gems from the collections of science, philosophy, cartography, music, and much more – or take a peek into the lives of a number of prominent Danes by reading Søren Kierkegaard's letter to his fiancé, Karen Blixen's own manuscript, or Hans Christian Andersen's diary. Permanent exhibition. Jytte Rex – Dreams and Furious Laughter – 20.3.26-09.08.26 In Jytte Rex’s art, images, words, and film meet in a weave of connections – between people, times, and media. For more than six decades, she has worked across art forms, creating existentially focused works that revolve around the relationship between humans and the world and between inner and outer life. The photographic medium is a recurring element in Jytte Rex’s practice. She describes it as subjecting photography to a form of vandalism. She breaks with photography’s cool documentarism and creates a connection to other times, to the world's changeability, and to human inner life. Materials and motifs are worked in layers upon layers, generating new layers of meaning and impression. Jytte Rex is part of the feminist avant-garde art of the 1960s and 1970s, and occupies a distinctive position with her poetic and labyrinthine expression. Jytte Rex – The Dream and the Furious Laughter opens up a universe where stories, longings, and sensations merge, and where the works invite us to open our eyes to the mystery of the world. The Black Diamond closes at 3:30 PM on Tuesday, January 27.Visit The Old Reading Room The atmospheric reading room in the original part of Royal Danish Library on Slotsholmen in Copenhagen is called The Old Reading Room. The reading room has remained virtually original since its inauguration in 1906 and is a true architectural gem. On Sundays, anyone interested can visit the reading room and experience its very special atmosphere. Visit to The Old Reading Room is included in the exhibition ticket and with a Copenhagen Card. Please note that only students and researchers have access to the library Monday to Saturday.