The Hirschsprung Collection, Copenhagen

If you are an art lover, plan a visit to the Hirschsprung Collection at a popular art museum in Copenhagen. This museum is located in Østre Anlæg in a parkland setting. It has an impressive collection of 19th and 20th-century Danish art. Here you will find works of Skagen painters and other paintings that emphasize the Danish Golden Age.

Origins of this museum can be traced back to Heinrich Hirschsprung’s personal art collection. He was a tobacco manufacturer and an art patron. His art collection was founded in 1865 and was donated to the Danish state four decades later in 1902. The building where the collection is housed was designed and built in 1911 by architect Hermann Baagoe Storck.

It was in 1888 that Heinrich’s collection of artworks was first displayed to the public in Charlottenborg. As the Danish state was in the process of planning the museum building, Hirschsprung continued to collect exquisite artworks that included sculptures, Joakim Skovgaard’s cartoons and works of contemporary artists like Vilhelm Hammershoi, Anna Ancher and Michael Ancher.

His phenomenal dedication and effort resulted in an impressive collection of 180 sculptures by 20 Danish artists. Make sure the Hirschsprung Collection is a part of your itinerary on your trip to Copenhagen.

Why You Should Visit:
To enjoy the best of the Golden Age of Danish 19th-century paintings in beautiful surroundings.
The temporary exhibitions are equally compelling and the staff is always helpful and friendly.

Tip:
The reasonable entry fee includes a very helpful audio guide (available in English).
While there are no amenities of the usual sort in the museum beyond a small bookstore, the neighborhood has cafés and is a lovely area for walking and looking.