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Copenhagen · Denmark

SMK – National Gallery of Denmark

Denmark's national art museum, presenting Danish and international painting, sculpture and works on paper.

Plan a trip here Website / visitor information
SMK – National Gallery of Denmark Pjposullivan1 · CC BY-SA 2.0
Typical visit
2 hours 30 minutes
Setting
Indoor
Region
Copenhagen
Last checked
10 Aug 2026

Why visit

SMK – National Gallery of Denmark gives travellers a concrete way to understand part of Copenhagen. Denmark's national art museum, presenting Danish and international painting, sculpture and works on paper. A visit is built around Danish Golden Age art, European painting and sculpture, Modern and contemporary galleries. The site has enough substance to justify planned time and is practical to combine with other places around Copenhagen, which makes it useful both for a first visit and for a more balanced Denmark journey.

What you will see

  • Danish Golden Age art.
  • European painting and sculpture.
  • Modern and contemporary galleries.

History

SMK grew from the Danish royal art collections into a public national gallery with historic and modern holdings.

Photographs

SMK – National Gallery of Denmark

Pjposullivan1 · CC BY-SA 2.0 · full attribution on the image credits page.

Visitor tips

  1. 1

    Access varies across the site; check the official accessibility information for the intended visitor route before travel.

  2. 2

    Check the official source shortly before travel for current access, opening, transport and booking information.

About Copenhagen

Capital architecture, royal history, museums, gardens and contemporary urban experiences.

Open the Denmark guide

Combine it with

More to see around Copenhagen

All of Copenhagen
Nyhavn Copenhagen · Denmark A seventeenth-century harbour canal lined with colourful townhouses and historic vessels. Tivoli Gardens Copenhagen · Denmark A historic amusement garden combining landscaped grounds, rides and performance spaces beside Copenhagen Central Station. Rosenborg Castle Copenhagen · Denmark An early seventeenth-century royal castle in the King's Garden, known for furnished rooms and the Crown Jewels. Christiansborg Palace Copenhagen · Denmark A palace complex on Slotsholmen combining state institutions, royal reception rooms and archaeological remains. Amalienborg Palace Copenhagen · Denmark Four eighteenth-century palace facades arranged around an octagonal square, forming the principal Copenhagen royal residence. National Museum of Denmark Copenhagen · Denmark Denmark's principal cultural-history museum, spanning prehistory, Viking material and later Danish society.

Already worked out

Ready-made trips through Copenhagen

All ready-made trips
Copenhagen in 3 Days 3 days · 10 stops · Moderate pace A compact first visit to Copenhagen balancing the harbour, royal landmarks, major museums and one elevated city view. The days are clustered to reduce unnecessary crossing of the city and leave flexibility for meals, neighbourhood walks and weather changes. Copenhagen & North Zealand in 4 Days 4 days · 11 stops · Moderate pace Four days linking Copenhagen with North Zealand's strongest art, royal and maritime heritage. Rail works well for the main towns, while the final day should be paced around chosen castle interiors rather than treating all three sites as quick stops. Zealand & Funen in 7 Days 7 days · 15 stops · Moderate pace A one-week route across Denmark's eastern islands, starting with Copenhagen and moving west through Roskilde, Møn and Funen. Large attractions receive enough time rather than being compressed into transfer days. Denmark Highlights in 10 Days 10 days · 22 stops · Moderate pace A ten-day first journey using Copenhagen, Funen, Aarhus and South Jutland as a clear east-to-west spine. It includes royal, Viking, art and landscape experiences without forcing Bornholm or North Jutland into an already full itinerary.