Historic Hospital Houses Detailed Design
DESIGNMUSEUM DANMARK
How to spend a typical cloudy day in Copenhagen? Amble into the design museum. Everything from ceramic design to furniture, there’s something for everyone to discover.
Pop by Designmuseum Danmark to perfectly closes your day with a bang! Centrally located, the Design Museum is situated on Bredgade 68, just blocks north of the Amalienborg, palace of the Danish Royal Family. Exhibits cover Scandinavian fashion design to sustainability, furniture design, jewelry design, lighting, textiles and much more. With diverse areas of design to explore, a designer will never get bored. Trust me! Additionally, the conclusion of the museum flows into Format, a delightfully designed restaurant with endless coffee and croissants, a perfect pick me up before evening dinner…or a night out at the bars.
Current exhibits include AKUT #5: Care and Repair, a temporary exhibit emphasizing the environmental upside to recycling textiles. While this is not the same as visiting Sort Slips Hvidt Slips, it still stands as an interesting perspective on how other designers in Denmark are tackling this increasing dilemma. PROUD, another intriguing exhibit, showcases intricate and provocative folk costumes crafted and curated by famous Danish designer, Nicholas Nybro in designs expressing 21 vibrant cities across Denmark. Each costume shares a unique identity, story, humor, and wit to each of these different pockets of Denmark.
From first stepping beneath the opulent gate, one can sense the importance and detail to design of this site. Founded in 1890 by Confederate of Danish Industries alongside Ny Carlsberg Museumslegat, this museum finally opened to the public just five years later in 1895 on what would currently be H.C. Andersens Boulevard. It was not until 1926 that the museum relocated to its current location which was a former hospital. Interestingly, the former Royal Fredrik’s Hospital, considered one of Copenhagen’s finest Rococo buildings, was erected during the mid-1700’s during the rule of King Frederik V. While initially built by architects Nicolai Eigtved and Lauritz de Thurah, this building was retrofitted in the 1920’s by prominent architects Ivar Bentsen and Kaare Klint. Kaare Klint, known as the classic man of Danish furniture design, he designed all the furniture in the redesign as well.
Aside from the exhibit, history and architecture of the museum, they also house a fantastic library. Free access and entry, the Designmuseum’s library remains the largest design library in all of Scandinavia with a key area of focus on crafts and industrial design. The library is all public and loans are possible; however, they have limited hours. To conclude the tour, hop over to the gift shop, found prior to entering the exhibit. It resides as the perfect place to pick out some stylish goodies for your design enthusiast friends and family alike. With birthdays and holiday seasons year-round, one must always be on the hunt for newfound treasures and why not in the largest Scandinavian design museum.
Information
Where: Bredgade 68, 1260 København Danmark
What time: Monday closed
Tuesday – Sunday 10 AM – 6 PM
Thursday 10 AM – 8 PM
How much: Adults: 130 DKK
0-17 years: Free, (18-26 years/student): 90 DKK, Group ticket: 110 DKK (per person)
Tip!
If you visit on the weekend, arrive to the museum early. This ensures no one photobombs your pictures and allows you to not feel rushed. And don’t worry! The museum has coffee in Lille Format before you head inside and Format after you finish the exhibit. Enough coffee for you in case you had a late night. However, be sure to check Lille Format hours and seasons as they are closed during winter months. Also, there is a spacious green courtyard open during the summer months. Be sure to check out this oasis in the middle of the city if you happen to see it open and enjoy the fresh Scandinavian summer air.