The Danish War Museum is a cultural museum for Danish weapons and war history.
If you are fascinated by history, grand strategy, and the human experience of conflict, the Danish War Museum (Krigsmuseet) is an absolute must-see.
Located in Copenhagen on Slotsholmen in the heart of the city, this museum offers a deeply immersive look into Denmark's past—from its days as a formidable naval power to its modern global peacekeeping missions.
Built by King Christian IV in 1604, the museum is housed in a historic arsenal building right in the heart of Copenhagen.
You can explore the impressive 156-meter-long Arsenal Hall, which features cannons dating back 400 years.
The building itself is a tangible piece of history, as it was a physical part of the military operations it now documents.
Whether you are a military history buff or simply looking to understand Denmark beyond its castles and fairy tales, the museum's vast collection has something to captivate every traveler.
The museum takes you on a comprehensive journey through 500 years of Danish military history
You can marvel at an incredibly diverse collection of weapons, ranging from medieval knight armor and samurai swords to World War II artifacts
The first floor is dedicated to naval history, featuring ship models and exploring how wars were fought at sea over the last five centuries
You will see ornate royal uniforms, intricate crossbows, and the poignant, personal letters sent home by soldiers
If you are looking for an intense and thought-provoking cultural experience in Copenhagen right now, the Danish War Museum's brand new special exhibition, 'Warrior' (Kriger), is an absolute must-see.
The exhibition opened its doors in February 2026, diving into one of the most fundamental and terrifying human questions: What does it do to a person to become a warrior and face death?
Created in a grand collaboration between the Danish War Museum, the National Museum of Denmark, and Moesgaard Museum, the exhibition takes visitors on an intense psychological and physical journey into the mind of the warrior.
Rather than simply displaying weapons in glass cases, 'Warrior' focuses on the dark rituals, grueling training, and strong bonds of brotherhood that unite combatants across world history. You will follow four vastly different warriors on their transformation from ordinary humans to killers:
The Modern Danish Soldier: A voluntary choice to go to war, where survival relies on modern military training and an unbreakable brotherhood.
The Japanese Samurai (approx. 1600 AD): Born to be a warrior and armed with the legendary Katana sword. Here, honor means everything—and defeat is punished by ritual suicide (seppuku) to restore the family's honor.
The Roman Legionary (approx. 100 AD): A machine of strict discipline and rock-hard physical training, swearing eternal loyalty to the Emperor to fight for the Roman Empire.
The Sepik Warrior from New Guinea (1920s): Here, war is about supernatural powers, where the warrior undergoes magical rituals to be possessed by a warrior spirit prior to battle.
The exhibition is incredibly relevant in the current global situation and puts war into a completely new and very human perspective. As a visitor, you are literally pulled into the universes of the warriors before, during, and after the battle, witnessing the enormous personal costs.
The museum is located on Slotsholmen in Copenhagen. Specifically, between Christiansborg and Søren Kierkegaard Square in Christian 4.s Tøjhus from 1604th.
