Museums- Single View

The Collections

Seven hundred years of art - from the early Renaissance up to the present day

"The museum collects, registers, maintains, researches in and handles Danish and foreign art dating from the 14th Century till the present day, mostly with their origins in western culture circles. As far as the Danish art is concerned the museum must invest in and maintain representative collections.

The museum's collections constitute almost 9,000 paintings and sculptures, approx. 300,000 works of art on paper as well as more than 2,600 plaster casts of figures from ancient times, the middle-ages and the Renaissance. The major part of the museum's older collections comes from the art chambers of Danish kings.

The museum's collections are presented in both new and old surroundings. In November 1998 Statens Museum for Kunst re-opened after completing rebuilding and renovation. The old and new buildings are connected by one large-scale amalgamation between past and present. Facing the front is the old building and from Østre Anlæg is a new and modern building - seen from the side is a glass-covered street that connects the old and new buildings.

The older pieces of art of foreign and Danish origin are presented in the 103 years old building which was designed by architect Jens Vilhelm Dahlerup. This selection includes works by Bloemart, Jordaens, Gijsbrechts, Abildgaard, Jens Juel and L.A. Ring, among others. In the new extension, designed by architect Anna Maria Indrio the newer pieces and completely modern art are arranged, showing works by Danish and Foreign artists such as Matisse, Braque, Weie, Kirkeby, Smithson."


Read about The Royal Cast Collection.

Read about The Royal Collection of Painting and Sculpture.

Read about The Royal Collection of Prints and Drawings.

Explore Icons in the collection of Statens Museum for Kunst.

Visit our web exhibition on the theme "A view to an insight".

Send a postcard from Statens Museum for Kunst.

Ornamental historicism - simple modernism

"The old museum building dates back to 1896 and was designed by the architect Wilhelm Dahlerup. This building reflects the exuberant joy - so typical of the period - taken in mixing several historical styles. This is most clearly evident from the richly decorated facade and the imposing entrance, which makes for a solemn transition from the outside world into the museum collections.

Until the 1960s, a huge staircase dominated the Entrance Hall. Here, museum visitors could ascend to the first floor, which was devoted to paintings. The ground floor presented the museum's collection of plaster casts of historical sculptures. Today, this particular aspect of the museum has its own exhibition venue: the Royal Cast Collection in Toldbodgade, near the Royal Palace of Amalienborg.

The museum was short of space from the very beginning. It was not until 1970, however, that the amount of floor space available for exhibitions was increased. This was done by roofing two atrium wells in the middle of the museum.

The 1998 extension has provided the museum with a significant - and much-needed - increase in the exhibition space available. The magnificent, modernist extension building is situated in parallel with Dahlerup's old museum, opening the house up towards the surrounding parkland. The architect Anna Maria Indrio from the major Danish firm of architects "C.F. Møllers tegnestue" created the new architecture. The two widely different buildings are separate entities, yet linked by a glass-roofed Sculpture Street, with footbridges connecting the first floors. The two buildings meet and merge in a single fluid movement while also clearly demarcating their distinctive characters and the architectural differences between them."

Literature: Arkitektur DK, 8, 1998. Statens Museum for Kunst