National Museum of Copenhagen to Reopen with Viking Focus

The National Museum of Denmark (Nationalmuseet) in Copenhagen will reopen in summer 2021 with a redesigned permanent collection and a major Viking exhibition. The renovation, funded by the A.P. Møller and Augustinus foundations, aims to integrate temporary and permanent displays. Director Rane Willerslev emphasizes a long-term development plan experimenting with new narrative forms. In 2019, the museum collaborated with designer Jim Lyngvild on a scenic overhaul of the Viking area, using evocative but historically imprecise photographs to engage visitors. The 2021 exhibition will feature artifacts including weapons, armor, jewelry, and the world's largest Viking ship, Roskilde 6, recovered in the 1960s. The show will highlight the failed 859–862 expedition led by Hasting and Bjørn Jernside toward Rome.