Many, Many Museums

Today is the halfway mark of my first independent vacation week! Unlike many of my peers, I decided to stay in Copenhagen and explore some of the many attractions I have had lingering on my list but hadn't gotten around to. What does that mean? I have spent most of the past few days buzzing around lots of museums! For your reading pleasure, I've made a list of the ones I have gotten to so far with quick descriptions and reviews.

Not an official museum-but funded by the same foundation as many!

1. The National Museum 

If you love history, this is the museum for you! Located just across from Parliament, this old royal residence houses the entirety of Danish history in one convenient building. This museum is medium sized, and could be done in a long afternoon. Literally spanning over 2,000 years, some of my favorite parts included the Viking and Stone Age exhibits because of the obvious Danishicana appeal. A highlight is the installations on bogs and artifacts that have been dredged up-including a person and a viking ship. When I was there, the special exhibit was on the museum's extensive ethnographic photo collection from around the world. As is the case with most of the major museums in Denmark, the explanatory plaques are translated in English. 

      2. Ny Carlsberg Glyptoteket 

A large and lovely collection of art from the Ancient world and Impressionist France housed in a stunning building built by the Carlsberg Foundation and free on Tuesdays! If you can't tell, I like this one. Featuring plenty of sculptures from around the world, there is lots of fun to be had finding your favorites and mimicking a pose or two (or three...). Be sure to check out the Winter Garden which is a greenhouse-esque indoor plaza in the center of the museum. I went when the French Impressionism painting wing was under construction. But, I will be sure to return once it reopens mid-March. The building itself is a piece of art. From the colors of the walls to the ornate ceilings to the tiled floors, it feels like a fully immersive art experience. One very odd element: in these gorgeous details, there are many swastika themes with no explanation as to why. It was later on at the Carlsberg Brewery that I read that the swastika was indeed formerly the symbol of the centuries old brewery. Which brings me to the next attraction...

     3. Carlsberg Brewery

Though not an official museum, the self guided tour covers a lot of material from the history of beer as a beverage to the specific history of Carlsberg as a company. This is where we learned about the former symbol of Carlsberg. Since, it's been changed to a three leaf clover of sorts! The 70 dkk student entry price gets you a self guided tour of the exhibits, a look at their extensive bottle collection, into the stables of Jutland horses, and finally a sample of beer and a souvenir pin!

     4. Kastellet 

Another unofficial museum, Kastellet is an active military base which is one of the oldest in the region. Overlooking the ocean, this five point rampart is a delightful walk that is surrounded by small moats, bridges, churches, and a windmill! There is also a massive statue of a Norse goddess driving a team of oxen. It is also very close to another little known sculpture-The Little Mermaid!

    5. Den Bla Planet 

The National Aquarium of Denmark is a small building full of lovely oceanic treasures in the suburban area of Amager. Right on the ocean, the species inside hail from the waters just outside as much as from more tropical regions. This one is definitely geared more towards children and school groups. It's also a bit pricier at 170 dkk and doesn't offer a student discount. Nevertheless, was a delight to see the big tank with a swim-over tunnel portion. When I first stepped in, a massive ray was swimming over my head to greet me! The portion where you can stand on plexiglass over the tank and watch for critters was a bit spooky, if you ask me. 

Sleeping Turtle butts!

That about wraps up the official list of museumy attractions that I've been to this week. That's without mentioning a handful of lovely churches and strolls. But, more on those later!