10 must-see things at the museum
We take care of 2 million artifacts. 42,000 of them have been selected and put on display because they tell an important chapter of Denmark’s history.
So where should you begin?
Here are 10 suggestions.
Image gallery
1 / 10
The Sun Chariot illustrates nature
Back then, the Sun Chariot was a tribute to the radiant, life-giving sun. Today, it is a cultural treasure that tells us about the Bronze Age understanding of the world. See it in the exhibition “Danish Prehistory.”
2 / 10
The Egtved Girl danced for the sun
The dancers performed cartwheels for the Sun. A young girl may have joined in. She was, at any rate, finely dressed in a corded skirt and a bronze belt plate. See the Egtved Girl in the exhibition “Danish Prehistory.”
3 / 10
Colonial catalogue or just art?
The Dutch artist Albert Eckhout portrayed people from the Tupi and Tarairiú tribes. His work was intended as a promotion of exotic colonial treasures. Today, the paintings are among the earliest visual records of these Indigenous Brazilian peoples. See the paintings in the “Ethnographic Collection”.
4 / 10
Obelix fell into a cauldron like this one
The Gundestrup Cauldron was either war booty or a form of payment and perhaps filled with a strengthening drink. Whatever the case, it inspired Asterix and Obelix cartoonist Albert Uderzo. See the cauldron in the exhibition “Danish Prehistory”.
5 / 10
A mother’s love and magical powers
Eighty amulets were sewn onto it. Each one calls upon the power of animals to protect 5-year-old Arsulik Tertâq. See the skin outfit in the “Ethnographic Collection”.
6 / 10
Denmark’s most sacred cross?
The diamonds on the outside are not as valuable as what’s inside. According to legend, the small cross contains a splinter from the cross on which Jesus Christ was crucified. See the cross in the exhibition “The Danish Middle Ages and Renaissance”.
7 / 10
Honor and power were carved into rune stones
Ragnhild fought for power. She may have lost. But she had the final word and raised this stone in memory of her husband. See the rune stone in the exhibition “Danish Prehistory”.
8 / 10
Denmark's heaviest gold treasure
The gold ring weighing 1.8 kg was undoubtedly once in the hands of a king over 1,000 years ago. The heavy ring would only have been worn by its owner on the most special occasions. See the ring in the exhibition “The viking sorceress".
9 / 10
The world's oldest bow
This longbow is made of elm wood. The hunter chose that specific type of wood because it can shoot arrows with great force. The bow dates back to 7,000 BCE, a time when Denmark was covered in forest. The hunter would have hunted elk, bears, or an aurochs. See the world’s oldest bow in "Prehistoric Denmark".
10 / 10
A leap for life in the gut parka
At just the right moment, the hunter must leap from the boat onto the whale and thrust a lance straight into its blowhole. This jumpsuit is a drysuit made from intestines, sealed with blubber. See the suit in the exhibition “People of the Earth”.
Open today
10:00 - 17:00
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