Davids Samling

About the museum

The museum was founded by the Copenhagen lawyer Christian Ludvig David (1878–1960), who amassed a large fortune as a Supreme Court attorney and as a board member of leading companies. From the 1910s he first collected Danish painting and sculpture, then mainly European furniture, faience and porcelain of the 17th and 18th centuries, and soon, as a complement, ceramics from the Islamic world as well.

In 1917 David bought the house at Kronprinsessegade 30, built around 1806/07, which about a hundred years earlier had belonged to his great-grandfather. For the growing collection he had the attic converted; in 1928 Kaare Klint designed a dedicated gallery for the ceramics. In 1945 David established the foundation C.L. Davids Fond og Samling, and in 1948 the collection was first opened to the public for a few hours a week.

After David's death in 1960, the museum took over the whole house. At first the European department was expanded; since the 1980s the foundation has acquired almost exclusively Islamic art. In 1986 the neighboring house, number 32, was added, where Wilhelm Wohlert created a gallery for miniatures in 1990; later renovations through 2009 doubled the space for the Islamic collection.

Today it comprises works from the 7th to the 19th century from an area stretching from Spain to India and is regarded as the largest of its kind in Scandinavia. Admission is still free today.

Highlights

• Largest collection of Islamic art in Scandinavia (7th–19th century)
• One of the largest displayed collections of Islamic book painting
• Calligraphy, ceramics, glass, carpets and weapons from Spain to India
• Furniture from the workshop of David Roentgen
• Early porcelain from Meissen, Vincennes and Sèvres
• Kaare Klint gallery in the collector's former home

Permanent exhibitions

• Kunst fra islams verden – The museum's largest department, with art from an area stretching from Spain to India, 7th to 19th century, organized by region, material and cultural-historical themes, including calligraphy, miniatures, ceramics and textiles.
• Ældre europæisk kunst – 18th-century furniture and decorative arts, Nordic faience, Danish silver, early European porcelain, and Dutch, French and Danish painting.

Founded

1948

Operated by

C.L. Davids Fond og Samling (Stiftung)

Director

Joachim Meyer

Admission & discounts

Admission is free.

Free admission to the collections, special exhibitions and public guided tours.

Accessibility

• Wheelchair accessible: not available
• Elevator
• Accessible restroom: no information
• Accessible parking: no information
• Service dogs welcome
• Tactile models & exhibits: no information
• Sign language tours: no information
• Easy-to-read materials: no information
• Audio description: no information

The museum is housed in two listed buildings with many narrow stairs and is poorly suited for people with mobility impairments; wheelchairs and walkers are not allowed into the collections. The elevator cannot be used in case of fire. Seating in the foyer, stairwell and exhibition rooms; smaller, dimly lit rooms on the fourth and fifth floors. Free Sunflower lanyard at the reception desk. All texts in Danish and English in the museum app, loaner phones at the reception desk.

Kids & families

• Family tours & workshops: not available

The website lists no family offerings of its own; educational programs are available for school classes from grade 5. Because of the many stairs, the building is only partly accessible with strollers.

Getting there & parking

The museum is right on Kongens Have between Kongens Nytorv and Nørreport. Entrance: first door on the left in the gateway.

Amenities & dining

• Museum shop
• Coat check
• Lockers

Coat check with free lockers (token at the reception desk); larger bags must stay there. Museum shop with books, posters and postcards during museum hours. Eating and drinking are not allowed in the museum.

Events & venue rental

The museum hasn’t published any information on this – please ask the museum directly.

Plan your visit