Ny Carlsberg Glyptoteket – Where Antiquity Meets Modernity in Copenhagen

Few museums embody the dialogue between art, history, and architecture as gracefully as Ny Carlsberg Glyptoteket. Founded in 1897 by the brewer Carl Jacobsen, the museum was conceived not merely as a repository of treasures but as an expression of civic humanism — a gift to Copenhagen that fused private collecting with public enlightenment. Today, it remains one of the city’s most captivating spaces, balancing scholarly depth with aesthetic delight.

Architecture as Experience

The Glyptoteket is itself a work of art. The complex spans multiple wings built in stages between the late 19th and early 20th centuries, each reflecting the prevailing architectural ideals of its era. The Winter Garden, with its soaring glass dome, palm trees, and mosaic floors, offers a lush prelude to the collections, while the French architect Henning Larsen’s 1996 extension provides a modernist counterpoint in glass and light. Moving between these spaces, the visitor experiences an architectural palimpsest — a building that speaks across centuries.

Collections of Global Significance

The museum’s name derives from the Greek glyptos (carved) and theke (storage), and indeed its holdings of ancient sculpture are unrivalled in Northern Europe. The Egyptian collection spans 3,500 years, from mummies to monumental basalt statues; the Greek and Roman galleries trace the evolution of classical form from archaic kouroi to imperial portraits. For scholars, these holdings offer a rare northern perspective on Mediterranean antiquity; for tourists, they provide a journey through time framed by elegant display.

Equally significant is the Glyptoteket’s collection of 19th-century French art. Works by Manet, Monet, Cézanne, and van Gogh sit alongside one of the world’s largest assemblies of Rodin sculptures outside Paris. The juxtaposition of antiquity and modernity was deliberate: Jacobsen sought to trace the lineage of artistic expression, suggesting continuity rather than rupture.

A Meeting Place of Leisure and Study

The Glyptoteket is more than a museum; it is a cultural sanctuary. Academics use its holdings for rigorous study, but casual visitors are equally drawn to the meditative calm of its galleries and gardens. The café, overlooking the Winter Garden, offers respite — a reminder that Jacobsen imagined the museum as a place of contemplation, not just instruction.

Practical Information

Ny Carlsberg Glyptoteket
📍 Dantes Plads 7, 1556 Copenhagen, Denmark
🌐 glyptoteket.com
🎟️ Tickets: Adults 125 DKK; under 27 years 85 DKK; under 18 free.
⏰ Opening hours: Tuesday–Sunday 10:00–17:00, Thursday until 21:00. Closed Mondays.