Thorvaldsens Museum
2 Bertel Thorvaldsens Plads, Copenhagen, Denmark, 1213
This museum showcases an extensive collection of works by Danish sculptor Bertel Thorvaldsen, who designed well-known creations such as the Lion of Lucerne and the tomb monument of Pope Pius VII. While Thorvaldsen's works are the museum’s main draw, it also features paintings from other European artists and Greek and Roman antiquities.
The basics
The Thorvaldsens Museum is notable as the first public museum in Denmark. It features three floors of art and artifacts to explore, with many of the artist’s marble and plaster sculptures—many depicting characters from Greek and Roman mythology—along with sketches and ephemera relating to his life and artistic career. While many visitors come here independently, you can also book a guided tour that lasts about 50 minutes directly through the museum.
Things to know before you go
While there are no elevators in the museum, people who use wheelchairs can visit the ground floor with the help of a companion. Companions visit free of charge.
There's a café and shop at the museum selling coffee, wine, books, and souvenirs.
Large bags and umbrellas must be stored in lockers on the ground floor.
Small strollers can be used at the museum, but larger ones must be left at the entrance. Small loaner strollers are available.
How to get there
The Thorvaldsens Museum is located in central Copenhagen, about a 20-minute walk from the main railway station and a few minutes from the Gammel Strand metro station, which is served by lines M3 and M4 of the Metro. Bus 2A and hop-on, hop-off buses stop nearby, and parking is available at BLOX, a 10-minute walk away.
When to get there
The museum is open from Tuesday–Sunday throughout the year and is closed on Mondays, Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, New Year's Eve, and New Year's Day. Admission is free on Wednesdays. Sundays and Wednesdays get the most visitors, while Fridays and Saturdays tend to be the least crowded.
The museum building
It’s not just art that attracts visitors to the Thorvaldsens Museum—the building is of note. The structure’s design was largely inspired by the architecture and decorative styles of ancient Greece—with intricately mosaiced floors and colorful painted ceilings that have changed very little since the museum opened its doors in 1848.
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