Copenhagen isn’t the cheapest city for sightseeing, but there are still some excellent museums and galleries you can visit without spending a single krone. Some are completely free all year round, while others waive their admission fees on certain days or evenings.
So, with a little forward planning, you can see everything from contemporary art and historic houses to sculptures and giant diesel engines for free. We’ve rounded up the best free museums in Copenhagen below, along with the museums that offer regular free-entry days.
You can get more ideas for frugal things to see and do in Copenhagen by reading this huge guide, which lists 82 free activities.
Museums and galleries that are always free
Museums that have a free day
Museums that are worth the entrance fee
Free museums outside the city centre
Free museums in Copenhagen
The five best free museums in Copenhagen
- The David Collection
- The Black Diamond
- Møstings Hus
- Glyptoteket (Free on the last Wednesday of each month)
- Thorvaldsens Museum (Free every Wednesday)
Museums and galleries that are always free
There are still a few museums in Copenhagen that are completely free to visit all the time. Here are some of our favourites.
The David Collection
The David Collection, located just across from the Rosenborg Castle Gardens, is probably the best of the museums that offer free entrance.
It contains an impressive collection of Islamic art, as well as some 18th-century furnishings and paintings from around Europe, and a collection of later sculptures, paintings and ceramics by Danish artists. The artworks here were collected by a local lawyer named Christian Ludvig David, who died in 1960, and the gallery occupies his old house.
Entrance: free
Kronprinsessegade 30-32
Tues–Sun 10am–5pm (until 9pm on Wed)
davidmus.dk
Møstings Hus
Just west of the city centre in Frederiksberg lies Møstings Hus – an old country house turned exhibition space. Fronted by a pond and a couple of mature trees, it seems a little out of place among the nearby apartments and shops.
Small concerts and book launches take place here but the main reason to visit is to check out one of the six annual art exhibitions. It’s all contemporary stuff, covering everything from drawings and paintings to sound installations.
Entrance: free
Andebakkesti 5
Tues, Fri, Sat & Sun 11am–6pm, Wed & Thurs 11am–8pm
moestingshus.dk
Københavns Domkirke
Copenhagen’s cathedral, known locally as Københavns Domkirke or Vor Frue Kirke, is free to visit and well worth a look for its grand neoclassical interior and sculptures by Bertel Thorvaldsen.
The cathedral also has a small museum dedicated to the church’s history, art and architecture, although it’s currently closed to visitors. You can still head up to the second gallery to see the remains of the medieval church that once stood here and learn more about its history.
As long as there’s no church service taking place, you’re free to look around the cathedral, too.
Entrance: free
Nørregade 8
domkirken.dk
Is the Copenhagen Card worth buying?
Read this guide to see how much you could save during your trip!
The Black Diamond
Not really a museum, more of a library, the Black Diamond is still worth a visit for its exhibitions, events and for the impressive architecture of the building itself.
Designed by Danish architects Schmidt Hammer Lassen, this huge shiny black glass building mirrors the water and is home to manuscripts and letters from Hans Christian Andersen, as well as a collection of around 2,000 books by botanist Carl Linnaeus. Inside, look out for the colourful ceiling painting by Danish artist Per Kirkeby on the walkway connecting the old and new library buildings.
It also hosts a busy programme of concerts, talks and exhibitions throughout the year, ranging from classical music and photography to literary events. Although many events and exhibitions are ticketed, admission to the building itself is free – so head down to the waterfront and check out what’s going on.
Entrance: free
Søren Kierkegaards Plads 1
Mon–Thurs 8am–8pm; Fri 8am–4.30pm; Sat 9am–6pm; Sun 10am–4pm.
kb.dk
The Diesel House
Home to some of the world’s largest diesel engines, Copenhagen’s Diesel Museum may be niche, but there’s plenty to enjoy for engineering buffs and children.
Based in the former factory of one of Denmark’s largest engineering companies B&W, the museum is home to a variety of engines and machinery, including Denmarks first ever patented diesel engine.
Visitors can learn about the history of the diesel engine and at certain times throughout the day, the vast machines are started up, so you can get some idea of how powerful and noisy they are.
Entrance: free
Energiporten 8, 2450 København S
Feb–June & Sept–Nov: Thurs 10am–3pm; 1st & 3rd Sun of the month 10am–1pm. Closed July–Aug and Dec–Jan.
dieselhouse.dk
Magasin du Nord Museum
The Magasin du Nord Museum explores the history of one of Denmark’s oldest department store chains. The first Magazin du Nord opened in Aarhus in 1868, but went on to have more than 160 branches across the country.
In the museum you can see examples of some of the clothing and products sold at the shop throughout the years, as well as staff uniforms for the porters, shop assistants and lift operators. The interesting exhibitions tell you all about the working life of the staff, including the rules and regulations they had to abide by.
Lift operators, for example, had to be men with beards initially (unsurprisingly the average age was 75!), while porters had to open the door for anyone who arrived by car and look after the dogs and prams of any shoppers.
Entrance: free
Vingårdstræde 6, 1070 Copenhagen K
Thurs & Fri 1–5pm, Sat & Sun 11am–3pm.
magasinmuseum.dk
Museums that have a free day
Some Copenhagen museums offer free admission one day a week, often on a Wednesday, or on one day a month. If you plan your trip carefully, you can get to visit these museums and galleries below for free too. Some city-run museums, including the Museum of Copenhagen and Thorvaldsens Museum, also offer free admission to seniors on Tuesdays.
Glyptoteket
The family behind Denmark’s most famous beer brand, Carlsberg, became very rich indeed. Glyptoteket is testament to just how rich.
It’s home to an incredible array of art and antiquities, including Egyptian mummies and Greek statues, not to mention some impressive French Impressionist works by the likes of Gauguin, Cézanne and Monet.
Entrance: 150 DKK (135 DKK online), but free on the last Wednesday of each month. Under-18s go free. Entrance is included with the Copenhagen Card.
Dantes Plads 7
Tues–Sun 11am–5pm, Thurs 10am–9pm
glyptoteket.com
Thorvaldsens Museum
A visit to Thorvaldsens Museum gives you the chance to admire work by Denmark’s most successful sculptor – Bertel Thorvaldsen – in beautiful, laid-back surroundings.
When you see his smooth marble statues, which depict gods, cherubs and army chiefs, you’ll understand how he became famous across much of Europe. He even created statues for the Pope.
Entrance: 110 DKK, but free every Wednesday. Entrance is included with the Copenhagen Card.
Bertel Thorvaldsens Plads 2
Tues–Sun 10am–5pm
thorvaldsensmuseum.dk
Kunsthal Charlottenborg
One of Europe’s largest contemporary art spaces, the Kunsthal Charlottenborg, is an annexe of the stunning 17th century Baroque Charlottenborg Palace.
Right in the centre of the city along Nyhavn, it was purpose-built to exhibit contemporary art and has been doing since 1883.
The gallery hosts a wide range of contemporary art exhibitions from the Degree Show of the Royal Danish Academy of Fine Arts to light installations, interactive displays, performance art and multi-media art.
Previous exhibitions have included a five-metre-tall golden egg with a sauna inside it, and British Turner Prize winner Jeremy Deller’s acclaimed Welcome to the Shitshow!
Entrance: 95 DKK; free on Wednesdays after 5pm. Free daily with the Copenhagen Card
Nyhavn 2, 1051 København K
Mon 11am–7pm; Wed–Fri 11am–7pm; Sat–Sun 11am–5pm; closed Tues.
kunsthalcharlottenborg.dk
Nikolaj Kunsthal
Art often comes with a political or social message at Nikolaj Kunsthal, which occupies a converted redbrick church in the centre of Copenhagen.
Half a dozen exhibitions take place here every year, tackling subjects as diverse as trust and the internet economy to Leonard Cohen.
Entrance: 110 DKK, but free on Wednesdays. Entrance is included every day with the Copenhagen Card.
Nikolaj Plads 10
Tues–Fri 11am–6pm, Sat & Sun 11am–5pm.
nikolajkunsthal.dk
Museum of Copenhagen
This interesting museum covers the history of Copenhagen from Viking times up to today, via 14 of the city’s key sites.
It explores the city’s history through archeological finds, interactive exhibits and historical artefacts, ranging from the skeleton of a medieval soldier to a wooden bicycle. You’ll learn about the lives of Danish royalty, notorious criminals and how the everyday folk of Copenhagen lived in the past.
Entrance: 110 DKK, but free on Wednesdays. Entrance is included every day with the Copenhagen Card.
Stormgade 18, 1555 København V
Daily 9am–6pm, open til 9pm on Thursday.
cphmuseum.kk.dk/en
Copenhagen museums worth paying for
It’s worth pointing out that Wednesdays, or whichever day a museum is offering free entry, can get very busy. And Copenhagen also has some great museums that are not expensive and are well worth the entrance fee.
Plus, if you have a Copenhagen Card, you can visit some of the city’s best museums and galleries any day or the week that suits you – and not pay a penny extra.
To help you decide whether to buy a Copenhagen card or not, see our guide Is the Copenhagen card worth buying?
The Hirschsprung Collection
Another art collection built on the back of Danes’ fondness for intoxication, this gallery was founded by the tobacco magnate Heinrich Hirschsprung. Polished wooden floors and gilded picture frames give the galleries a regal feel, and paintings from Danish ‘golden age’ act as snapshots from the country’s past.
There’s also an extensive collection of drawings, many of them depicting idyllic scenes from rural Denmark.
Admission is good value, and we think it’s worth the entrance fee for its Danish 19th and 20th century paintings alone.
Entrance: 110 DKK; 75 DKK for under-29s (plus one friend under 29); under-18s go free.
Stockholmsgade 20
Wednesday–Sunday 11am–5pm: last Thursday of the month 10am–8pm.
hirschsprung.dk
Danish Architecture Center
For anyone interested in Danish design and architecture, the Danish Architecture Center is worth a visit for the building alone, not to mention the interesting exhibitions it hosts on subjects such as Danish designers and sustainability, and the history of Danish architecture.
Good to know: If you’re aged 18–27, you can visit the Danish Architecture Center for free on Fridays from 4–9pm.
It’s also home to a 40-metre slide by Carsten Höller that you can use to descend four storeys in a hurry.
This huge waterfront glass building also has a great café with a terrace and views over the city and harbour.
Entrance: 115 DKK; free for under 18s. If you book online in advance, you can sometimes get reduced rates. Entrance is included with the Copenhagen Card.
Bryghuspladsen 10
Mon, Thurs & Fri 10am–9pm; Tues, Wed, Sat & Sun 10am–6pm.
dac.dk/en/
National Museum of Denmark
Housed in the eighteenth-century former Princes Palace, the National Museum is the place to go if you want to find out all about Denmark.
With exhibitions ranging from the Stone Age to contemporary Denmark via the Vikings and the Renaissance, it’s also home to a large ethnographic collection, the well-preserved remains of the first-century Huldremose Woman, a toy museum and an authentic Victorian apartment.
Entrance: 150 DKK for adults 135 if you buy online; under 18s go free. Entrance is included in the Copenhagen Card.
Ny Vestergade 10
Mon–Sunday 10am–5pm
nationalmuseet.dk
Free museums outside the city centre
And if you’re happy to venture further afield there are some great museums outside the city centre that offer free admission.
The Ballerup Museum
Some 15 miles northwest of the centre of Copenhagen in the town of Ballerup, the Ballerup Museum is an interesting village museum that explores life in the Danish countryside in the early twentieth century.
You can wander around the attractive gardens and explore the reconstructed buildings that include a farmhouse, a blacksmiths’ forge, a shoemakers, a grocers shop and a village school room complete with children’s desks.
Entrance: free
Pederstrupvej 51-53, 2750 Ballerup
Tuesday–Friday 10am–3pm, Sunday 11am–3pm.
ballerupmuseum.dk
The Immigrant Museum
Kudos to the Immigrant Museum for providing free admission to this thought-provoking museum – especially given the troubled relationship that much of Europe has with immigration and migrants.
In the town of Farum, a half-hour drive north of Copehagen, the museum explores the migrant experience in Denmark over the last five hundred years. It ranges from the Dutch immigrants of the 16th century to today’s boat people and refugees from Ukraine.
As well as a permanent display, there are temporary exhibitions on subjects such as why people fear immigrants and the Danish migrations to other countries including the US. A fascinating and timely reminder of the fragility of nations and peace.
Entrance: free
Kulturtorvet 12, 3520 Farum
Tues–Sat 10am–4pm
immigrantmuseet.dk/english
Free museums in Copenhagen
And here’s a list of all the museums that are free to enter (or at least have one free day per week).
- The David Collection
- The Black Diamond
- Møstings Hus
- Københavns Domkirke
- The Diesel House
- Magazine du Nord Museum
- The Ballerup Museum
- The Immigrant Museum
- Glyptoteket (Free on the last Wednesday of each month)
- Thorvaldsens Museum (Free every Wednesday)
- Kunsthal Charlottenborg (Free on Wednesdays after 5pm)
- Nikolaj Kunsthal (Free every Wednesday)
- Museum of Copenhagen (Free every Wednesday)
Is the Copenhagen Card worth it for museums?
If you’re mainly sticking to the free museums above, you obviously won’t need a Copenhagen Card. But if you’re also planning to visit some of Copenhagen’s paid museums and attractions, it’s worth doing the maths. The card includes admission to dozens of attractions, as well as public transport, so it can offer good value on a busy sightseeing trip.
Not sure whether the card is right for you? Read our guide to whether the Copenhagen Card is worth buying, or check the latest Copenhagen Card prices and options before your trip.
Enjoy Copenhagen’s museums for less
Copenhagen’s museums are a great way to get to know the city’s history, art and culture – and, as we’ve seen, you don’t always have to pay to visit them. Just remember that free days and opening hours can change, so it’s worth checking the museum’s website before you set off.
Want to see more of Copenhagen’s cultural side? This guided walking tour of Copenhagen is a good way to explore the historic centre and learn more about the city’s history and architecture along the way.
Have a favourite free museum in Copenhagen that we’ve missed? Let us know in the comments below!
See also:
Visiting the Louisiana Art Museum
Day trips from Copenhagen
A guide to Copenhagen’s best parks
The Copenhagen City Museum is free to Pensioners on Tuesdays.