National Museum of Denmark (Nationalmuseet), Copenhagen (must see)

The National Museum of Denmark (Nationalmuseet) is the largest institution dedicated to the country's cultural history. Its main building showcases a diverse range of exhibits spanning from Greenland to South America, emphasizing both Danish and international cultures.

Recounting 14,000 years of history, the museum presents a detailed narrative of Denmark's past from the Ice Age reindeer hunters to the Vikings, and further into the religiously influential Middle Ages. The museum explores the identity and evolution of the Danish people through various exhibits that detail daily life, national events, and the broader societal changes in Denmark from 1560 to 2000.

A prominent feature within the museum is The Greenland Research Center dedicated to archaeological and anthropological studies of the island. Also notable is the major Vikings exhibition, opened by Queen Margrethe II in 2013, which was featured internationally, including at the British Museum in London.

The museum's numismatic collection includes Danish coins from the Viking era to modern times, as well as ancient Roman and Greek coins, showcasing a broad perspective on historical currencies.
Additionally, the museum boasts a wealth of ancient artifacts from Greece, Italy, the Near East, and Egypt, highlighted by items from the 1957 Danish excavation of Tell Shemshara in Iraq.

Outside its core responsibilities, such as archaeology, ethnology, numismatics, ethnography, natural science, and conservation, the museum also plays a key role in managing the National Treasures (Danefæ) and overseeing antiquarian efforts related to Denmark's churches.

Tip:
After paying your entry fee, be sure to find out when a free one-hour tour of the museum's 'greatest hits' is available in your language.