Thorvaldsens Museum
Photo: Own work — CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Thorvaldsens Museum in Copenhagen showcases over 900 sculptures and reliefs by Bertel Thorvaldsen, featuring neoclassical art and ancient motifs.
Planning your visit
Bertel Thorvaldsen was the most celebrated sculptor in Europe in the early nineteenth century, working in Rome for forty years, and when he returned to Copenhagen the city built him a museum — the first in Denmark — funded by public subscription and completed in 1848. He is buried in its courtyard.
The building is the point as much as the sculpture. Gottlieb Bindesbøll designed it in ochre and terracotta with Pompeian-inspired interiors, each room painted a different saturated colour, coffered and patterned ceilings, and mosaic floors. Photographs do not prepare visitors for it.
Over 900 works fill it: the marble Jason, Christ and the apostles, Ganymede, portrait busts of Byron and others, plus the plaster models that show the working method, and Thorvaldsen's own collection of antiquities and paintings.
It stands beside Christiansborg. Allow ninety minutes. Current availability is shown below.
Before you book
Where is Thorvaldsens Museum?
Thorvaldsens Museum is in Copenhagen, Denmark. The map on this page marks its exact location.
How long should I allow for Thorvaldsens Museum?
Allow ninety minutes. That is the time the collection itself takes at an unhurried pace, before any queue.
Is Thorvaldsens Museum free to enter?
Yes, general admission to Thorvaldsens Museum is free. Guided tours and special exhibitions may still be charged separately.
What are the opening hours of Thorvaldsens Museum?
Monday closed. Hours change on public holidays, so check the official site before travelling.
Do I need to book Thorvaldsens Museum in advance?
Tickets can be bought on the door at quiet times, but booking ahead fixes the date and avoids the queue at busy ones. Live availability is shown on this page.
