Under the heading ‘The Glyptotek of the Future’, the Ny Carlsberg Glyptotek is undertaking one of the largest restoration projects in Danish museum history. The purpose is to preserve the cultural institution founded by brewer Carl Jacobsen, who established the museum with the ambition of making art accessible to all.

Since its inauguration in 1897, the Glyptotek has been a national landmark and a museum of international standing. However, after 129 years of continuous use and millions of visitors, the buildings are under considerable strain. The museum is facing necessary restoration of its mosaic floors, remediation of worn building components and structural settlement damage, upgrading of technical installations, and the establishment of contemporary fire compartmentation and climate control systems.

With historically large grants from the New Carlsberg Foundation and the Carlsberg Foundation totalling DKK 1.5 billion, a decisive step can now be taken towards the major preservation and restoration project ‘The Glyptotek of the Future’.

“The museum itself is one of the Glyptotek’s greatest works of art, creating a historical setting that frames the experience of every visitor. We are deeply grateful for such exceptionally generous support, which makes it possible to protect the unique architectural heritage of the museum for many generations to come,” says director of the Glyptotek, Gertrud Hvidberg-Hansen.

“The restoration we are planning is both extensive and highly complex, requiring bespoke solutions of the highest professional standards. With 75 percent of the total budget now secured we are in a strong position to focus on raising the remaining funding needed for the project.”

A national icon of international significance

Over the years, the Carlsberg Foundation has made substantial contributions to the development and expansion of the Glyptotek – including in 1996 with the establishment of Henning Larsen’s building for the museum’s French painting collection, and in 2006 with Dissing+Weitling’s extension of the museum’s public areas. The Carlsberg Foundation now once again joins forces with the New Carlsberg Foundation to support the Glyptotek with a focus on the future.

“The Glyptotek is a truly unique art and cultural heritage museum housing collections of an international calibre. In making such a commitment, the Carlsberg Foundation takes a significant step towards securing the museum for the future, and ensuring that generations to come can experience art with state-of-the art improvements that are respectful of the museum’s architectural legacy,” says Majken Schultz, chair of the Carlsberg Foundation. 

‘The Glyptotek of the Future’ is based on several years of analysis and professional advisory work. Between 2016 and 2025, the New Carlsberg Foundation awarded DKK 80 million for preliminary studies, the building programme, and the schematic design proposal. 

“The New Carlsberg Foundation has a historical and legal responsibility for the Glyptotek, and is committed to preserving the extraordinary cultural heritage represented by the museum’s architecture and collections,” says Sanne Kofod Olsen, chair of the New Carlsberg Foundation. 

“A restoration on this scale is essential to ensure that future generations can continue to experience art in such exceptional surroundings.”

A temple of beauty for a growing audience

Future-proofing the Glyptotek is a prerequisite for the museum’s continued operation at an international level. Today, the Glyptotek collaborates with and borrows works from the world’s most renowned museums. Maintaining this position requires compliance with increasingly stringent standards for security, climate conditions, art handling facilities, and exhibition infrastructure.

Visitor numbers at the Glyptotek are steadily increasing, and the museum is one of Denmark’s most visited, welcoming more than half a million guests annually. A market analysis indicates that visitor numbers may rise to as many as 750,000 by 2040. To accommodate this growing and diverse audience, it is necessary to modernise the museum’s visitor facilities – without compromising its listed architecture and distinctive atmosphere.

“Carl Jacobsen envisioned the Glyptotek as what he called "a temple of beauty” – a place where art speaks to everyone. This vision means we have an obligation to preserve the character of the buildings, whilst ensuring the museum is accessible to all,” says Gertrud Hvidberg-Hansen.

Planned initiatives include improved access conditions at the main entrance and enhanced accessibility within the museum.

The comprehensive preservation and restoration project is expected to extend over four to six years from the point at which full financing has been secured. During part of this period, the museum will be closed to the public. In the meantime, the Glyptotek plans to activate its collections internationally, nationally, locally, and digitally. When the Glyptotek reopens, it will be ready to realise Carl Jacobsen’s vision of ‘bildung’ for the benefit of many generations to come.