Thorvaldsen Museum
Museum Museum housing Bertel Thorvaldsen's neoclassical sculptures
On Slotsholmen in Copenhagen, the Thorvaldsen Museum houses Bertel Thorvaldsen’s marble sculptures, plaster models and personal collection; visitors study neoclassical works and period displays.
The Thorvaldsen Museum in Copenhagen houses the works and collection of the Danish-Neoclassical sculptor Bertel Thorvaldsen and opened in the mid-19th century. The purpose-built museum on Slotsholmen was designed to display Thorvaldsen’s sculptures, plaster casts and personal collections.
Galleries present finished marble sculptures alongside plaster models and antiquities that Thorvaldsen collected. The museum building itself is an early example of 19th-century museum architecture in Copenhagen and includes permanent displays on the artist’s life and career.
The museum was founded to celebrate Thorvaldsen’s work and legacy and has functioned since the 19th century as the primary public repository for his oeuvre. It remains a focal point for study of Neoclassical sculpture in Denmark.
The Thorvaldsen Museum is located on Slotsholmen in central Copenhagen, close to the Christiansborg complex and within the historic core of the city.
- Collection highlights: The museum preserves a large collection of original plaster casts and finished marbles by Bertel Thorvaldsen and his personal belongings.
How to Get to Thorvaldsen Museum #
The Thorvaldsen Museum sits on Slotsholmen beside Christiansborg Palace in central Copenhagen. It’s an easy walk from Copenhagen Central Station (Hovedbanegården) and Nørreport (roughly 10-20 minutes on foot); many city buses stop nearby and taxis are plentiful in the city centre.
Tips for Visiting Thorvaldsen Museum #
- Visit right at opening on a weekday to see Thorvaldsen's sculptures in the calmer central rotunda before school and tour groups arrive, then work outward through the side rooms where plaster models and smaller works are displayed.
- Use the main entrance on Bertel Thorvalds Plads and follow the sequence of rooms that showcases the progression from plaster casts to finished marble-this gives the clearest sense of Thorvaldsen's working process.
- Combine your visit with a short walk to nearby Christiansborg Palace or the National Museum to make the most of a central Copenhagen museum morning or afternoon and avoid peak midday crowds.
Best Time to Visit Thorvaldsen Museum #
Best to visit the Thorvaldsen Museum on weekday mornings in the shoulder seasons to avoid summer crowds.
Weather & Climate near Thorvaldsen Museum #
Thorvaldsen Museum's climate is classified as Oceanic - Oceanic climate with mild summers (peaking in July) and cold winters (coldest in February). Temperatures range from -1°C to 21°C. Moderate rainfall (625 mm/year).
January
January is cold with highs of 3°C and lows of -1°C. Moderate rainfall (50 mm), mostly overcast skies, and breezy conditions.
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February
February is the coolest month with highs of 3°C and lows of -1°C. Moderate rainfall (33 mm) and mostly overcast skies.
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March
March is cold with highs of 6°C and lows of 0°C. Moderate rainfall (48 mm) and mostly overcast skies.
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April
April is cold with highs of 10°C and lows of 3°C. Moderate rainfall (40 mm) and partly cloudy skies.
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May
May is cool with highs of 16°C and lows of 8°C. Moderate rainfall (42 mm) and partly cloudy skies.
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June
June is cool with highs of 19°C and lows of 12°C. Moderate rainfall (57 mm) and partly cloudy skies.
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July
July is cool with highs of 21°C and lows of 14°C. Moderate rainfall (57 mm) and partly cloudy skies.
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August
August is cool with highs of 21°C and lows of 13°C. Moderate rainfall (53 mm) and partly cloudy skies.
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September
September is cool with highs of 17°C and lows of 10°C. The wettest month with 67 mm of rain and partly cloudy skies.
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October
October is cold with highs of 12°C and lows of 7°C. Moderate rainfall (60 mm) and mostly overcast skies.
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November
November is cold with highs of 7°C and lows of 3°C. Moderate rainfall (60 mm) and mostly overcast skies.
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December
December is cold with highs of 5°C and lows of 1°C. Moderate rainfall (58 mm) and mostly overcast skies.
