Royal Library (Denmark)

Overview
The National Library has for centuries via legal deposit received everything printed and published in Denmark. On the whole, if a Danish book, newspaper or journal exists, it is found in the Royal Library. Start with a search in bibliotek.dk, an online catalogue that covers all libraries in Denmark. If you do not find what you are looking for there, continue your search in REX, the Royal Library's online catalogue. Don't give up if this fails to produce a result,  there is still hope. Certain types of printed matter are organized in other ways, for example ephemera, and thus not catalogued. You can always send an email with a description, and we will check if we have what you are searching for.

The Royal Library holds Denmark's main collections of maps, music, manuscripts, letters and archival materials from authors and cultural personalities. For these materials, start your search in REX. The Royal Library also holds 18 million photographs. In addition, the Royal Library has Denmark's major collections of Orientalia and Judaica. Each of these special types of materials can be used at a centre in the Black Diamond (our main building in Copenhagen), where you are welcome to come and ask for help.

Current Exhibition in the Black Diamond: Treasures in the Royal Library

The Royal Library in Copenhagen has brought its most precious treasures out of the vaults and placed them in the hands of Russian artist Andrey Bartenev. The result is the new permanent exhibition Treasures in The Royal Library, where Gutenberg’s bible, the notes of philosopher Søren Kierkegaard, the diaries of fairy tale author Hans Christian Andersen and a wide range of other invaluable cultural treasures are immersed in pop art jungle.

Treasures in the Royal Library is the Danish National Library’s first permanent exhibition in recent times. It provides an opportunity for an exclusive insight into the Royal Library as the treasury of the entire country from the 600s until our present time – in other words highlights in Denmark’s cultural heritage throughout 1400 years. The exhibition shows a selection of the most exquisite, largest and most valuable manuscripts, books, letters and other works of both Danish and foreign origin from the library’s collections.

Tickets
Free admission

Admission to current exhibition at the Black Diamond may cost extra (Treasures in the Royal Library is free)

Opening Hours
Open Monday-Saturday 8:00-22:00

Treasures in the Royal Library is open 10:00-19:00

Find Your Way
Buses: 1A, 2A, 26, 66, 350S

Harbor bus: The Royal Library

Metro: Kongens Nytorv Station or Nørreport Station

Trains: Copenhagen Central Station or Nørreport Station

Tours
Every Saturday at 3pm

The library tour  A tour of the beautiful old library building from 1906 and the impressive Black Diamond extension from 1999. Includes a visit to the old book depository, the Danish Hall. Duration: 1 hour

Language: Danish or English

Up to 25 persons

Tickets can be purchased in the Diamond Information of the Royal Library. Pre-ordering is not possible.

Price: Adults 40 kr. Children free in company with adults.

The price includes free access to the exhibitions in The Black Diamond.