In 2006, the national government of Denmark passed legislation which mandated that all national museums be free to the public. This mandate has now become law and as a result there are many free museums in Copenhagen, and there are quite a few others that are open to the public for one day each week. When visiting the Scandinavian city, it is a great idea to take advantage of this wonderful offering.
Visit one of the state run museums that are now free all the time. The big draws here are the Statens Museum of Art, which is located near the Rosenborg gardens and the National Museum, which is a sort of a Danish version of the Smithsonian (instead of finding Linberg’s plane, you might see a 50-foot long Viking ship hull). At the Statens Museum of Art, be sure to check out the Golden Age of Danish Painting. These painters of the mid-nineteenth century, not only painted some remarkable landscapes of pastoral Denmark, but also they journeyed to Italy, Greece and beyond and brought back some wonderful travel landscapes. Also there is the very popular Open Air Museum in Lyngby, which is located just north of the city, and is also free to the public. This museum is open from April until October and features a re-creation of nineteenth century Danish life.
Visit the Nazi Resistance Museum. This place is free all the time, plus it provides a well-informed view of life in Denmark during the German occupation. The small museum is located near the statue of the Little Mermaid. It is easy to find, for it is a small box-shaped building with a homemade tank that sits outside the building.
Visit a private museum that offers free admission during one day of the week. Two excellent choices are the Ny Carlsberg Glyptotek (free on Sundays) and the Thorvaldsen Museum (free on Wednesdays). The latter is dedicated to the sculpture of Bertel Thorvaldsen, a Danish sculptor of the early nineteenth century. The museum is located downtown near the Christianborg Palace. The Ny Carlsberg is owned and run by the beer people of the same name and it features classical sculpture, French Impressionism painting and a changing exhibition schedule that showcases classic French painting. This museum is located downtown near the Tivoli Gardens. The Copenhagen City Museum is open free on Fridays.
Visit other free art museums such as the David Collection (Davids Samling), the Royal Cast Collection (Den Kongelige Afstobningssamling), the Museum of Customs and Taxes (Told and Skat Museet) and the Museum of Archeology and Astronomy (Kroppedal Museum).
Walk down Bredgade Street and check out the window displays of some of Denmark’s top art and antique dealers. You will find a wide object of artwork on display here ranging from contemporary Cobra art to nationally cherished paintings from the Golden Age. Bredgade begins at Nyhavn and runs up towards the royal palace at Amalienborg.
