Ny Carlsberg Glyptotek

The Ny Carlsberg Glyptotek is an art museum in Copenhagen. It stands on a former ravelin outside Holcks Bastion, just south of Tivoli Gardens. The building combines three architectural styles: the Dahlerup Wing in Venetian Renaissance, the Kampmann Wing in neo-classical design, and the Winter Garden linking them. Inside, tall palms rise beneath a copper-and-wrought-iron dome. The Henning Larsen Wing fills a former courtyard, giving access to the roof. The museum’s elegant interiors were designed to complement the art they hold. The museum began as Carl Jacobsen’s private collection, opened to the public in 1882. Jacobsen donated his antique sculptures in 1899, prompting a major expansion. Today it holds more than 10,000 works, including 950 Greek and Roman sculptures bought through German archaeologist Wolfgang Helbig. The Egyptian collection has over 1,900 pieces, many unearthed by English Egyptologist W. M. F. Petrie. The French collection features 40 works by Gauguin and the world’s largest Rodin holdings outside France. Danish Golden Age paintings by Eckersberg and Købke are also on display. Visitors walk through galleries arranged by period and culture. The Winter Garden offers a quiet space with mosaic floors and a fountain. The auditorium hosts classical concerts, including the Helge Jacobsen series featuring artists such as the Hagen Quartet and Jonas Kaufmann. Mummies rest in a crypt-like gallery below the main floors. Bronze dancers by Degas line the sculpture halls, while Roman pottery and Etruscan reliefs fill the Mediterranean galleries. The building’s varied spaces create a journey through time and art.