Teatermuseet i Hofteatret

About the museum

The young King Christian VII had the Court Theater built in 1767 in the armory of a side wing of the first Christiansborg Palace, which was located above the royal stables. The wing survived the palace fire of 1794, so the oldest surviving theater stage in Denmark can be experienced here today. In the 18th century, masked balls were held here for the court, and the Royal Theater used the rooms for its training – among the ballet students was the young H. C. Andersen. In 1842 Christian VIII had the hall remodeled in the Golden Age style and turned it into a public opera house with an Italian troupe. In 1881 performances had to end for fire safety reasons.

The theater museum was founded in 1912 by a private circle of theater lovers; in 1922 it moved into the Court Theater, making it one of the oldest specialized museums in the country. The building itself, with its boxes, raked stage, and inscriptions by 19th-century actors, is the most important exhibit.

After a careful restoration lasting about five years, funded in part by the A.P. Møller Fonden, the museum reopened on March 7, 2026. New features include an arrival area with exposed Norwegian marble columns from the 1730s, an elevator, a café, a light prism serving as a chandelier, a stage backdrop painted to Baroque proportions, a play-along theater with costumes, audio stations in the boxes, and the exhibition "Teater til tiden" on 300 years of Danish theater history.

Highlights

• Denmark's oldest surviving theater stage from 1767 with an auditorium from 1842
• Stage, balconies, and royal boxes that visitors can walk freely
• Exhibition "Teater til tiden" with 17 productions from 300 years
• Audio stories in the boxes, including about H. C. Andersen and Jenny Lind
• Play-along theater with costumes based on Holberg's "Den politiske kandestøber"
• Balcony with a view over the riding ground of Christiansborg

Permanent exhibitions

• Teater til tiden – Seventeen specially designed display cases on the stage, balcony walkways, and in niches each present one production that says something about its time – beginning with Holberg's "Den politiske kandestøber." Video interviews with today's theater professionals complement the stations.
• Hofteatret – historien og modellen – In the foyer, a richly detailed model shows the Court Theater at its opening in 1767; animations and texts explain the Baroque hall, the 1842 remodeling, and the eventful history of the building.
• På lydsporet af Hofteatret – In the balcony boxes, eight audio pieces tell the stories of people from the history of the house, such as Struensee, Johanne Luise Heiberg, Countess Danner, and Jenny Lind.

Founded

1912

Director

Peter Christensen Teilmann

Admission & discounts

Accessibility

• Wheelchair accessible
• Elevator
• Accessible restroom: no information
• Accessible parking: no information
• Service dogs welcome: no information
• Tactile models & exhibits: no information
• Sign language tours: no information
• Easy-to-read materials: no information
• Audio description: no information

Since the restoration there is an elevator; wheelchair users and people with limited mobility can get from the street into the historic theater hall without steps.

Kids & families

• Hands-on stations

In the play-along theater on the stage, visitors can put on costumes and act out scenes from Holberg's "Den politiske kandestøber" using an on-screen script. Children and teenagers under 18 get in free.

Getting there & parking

The museum is located directly behind the Folketing in the arcade of the Christiansborg Ridebane. From the Gammel Strand metro station, walk along Christiansborg Slotsplads, through the Rigsdagsgården past the main entrance of the Folketing to the riding ground. From the Nationalmuseet, cross the Marmorbroen to the riding ground and follow the arcade to the right to the other end.

Amenities & dining

• Café
• Restaurant: not available
• Museum shop
• Coat check

Small café Kandestøberen at the entrance from the riding ground with coffee, tea, water, and chocolate; drinks may be taken into the theater or onto the balcony. Food brought from outside is not allowed in the Court Theater. Shop and coat check in the new arrival area.

Events & venue rental

• Spaces for rent
• Private parties

Available for rent for artistic, professional, and private events: anteroom and foyer (receptions, talks), the theater hall with stage, and the balcony facing the riding ground. Inquiries by email.

Plan your visit