Medicinsk Museion (Medical Museion)
Historic surgical academy turned medical museum, where atmospheric 18th‑century interiors, anatomy collections and contemporary medical stories meet in central Copenhagen.
Housed in Copenhagen’s former Royal Academy of Surgeons, Medicinsk Museion is a university museum where medical history, cutting‑edge science and atmospheric 18th‑century architecture meet. Exhibitions explore bodies, health and disease through surgical instruments, anatomical specimens, early X‑ray and psychiatric treatments, alongside contemporary installations that consider modern biomedicine. The preserved anatomical auditorium, where generations of doctors once trained, is a striking highlight that captures the drama of historical surgery.
A brief summary to Medicinsk Museion
- Bredgade 62, Copenhagen, Indre By, 1260, DK
- +4535323800
- Visit website
- Duration: 1.5 to 3 hours
- Mid ranged
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Indoor
- Mobile reception: 5 out of 5
- Tuesday 10 am-4 pm
- Wednesday 10 am-4 pm
- Thursday 10 am-4 pm
- Friday 10 am-4 pm
- Saturday 12 pm-4 pm
- Sunday 12 pm-4 pm
Local tips
- Plan at least 1.5–2 hours to explore; the galleries are compact but information‑rich and the historic auditorium rewards taking time to absorb details.
- Be prepared for stairs and uneven floors; the listed 18th‑century building has no elevator and some staircases lack handrails, so good footwear is helpful.
- Photography without flash is allowed and the anatomical auditorium is especially photogenic, but respect any restrictions around sensitive objects or human remains.
- There is no café; bring a bottle of water and, in summer, a snack to enjoy in the courtyard, as food and drink are not allowed in the exhibitions.
- Content related to surgery, specimens and disease can be intense; consider this when visiting with younger children or anyone sensitive to medical imagery.
For the on-the-go comforts that matter to you
- Restrooms
- Lockers
- Seating Areas
- Trash Bins
- Information Boards
- Visitor Center
Getting There
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Metro
From central Copenhagen, take the M3 or M4 line to Marmorkirken Station, which serves the inner city ring. The ride from Copenhagen Central Station typically takes around 5–10 minutes and a single zone‑2 adult ticket costs about 20–25 DKK. Trains run every few minutes throughout the day. From Marmorkirken, allow roughly 5 minutes on foot along level city pavements to reach Bredgade, suitable for most visitors but with some cobblestones near the museum.
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City bus
Several inner‑city bus routes connect key hubs such as Nørreport, Kongens Nytorv and Østerport with the Frederiksstaden district near Bredgade. Typical journey times within the city centre range from 10–20 minutes, depending on traffic. A cash or card ticket purchased on board or via travel apps usually costs around 20–30 DKK for short trips. Buses stop within a few hundred metres of the museum; expect a short walk on mostly flat streets, with occasional cobblestones.
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Bicycle
Copenhagen’s extensive cycle lanes make reaching Bredgade by bike straightforward from most central neighbourhoods, often in 10–20 minutes. Standard city bike rentals or public bike‑share schemes generally cost from about 50–100 DKK for a few hours of use. While cycling infrastructure is excellent, be prepared for busy intersections at peak times and always park only in designated stands near the museum entrance to avoid fines or removal.
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Taxi or rideshare
A taxi from central areas such as Copenhagen Central Station or City Hall Square typically takes 10–20 minutes, longer in rush hour. Fares usually fall in the 120–200 DKK range one way, depending on distance and traffic. Vehicles can drop passengers on Bredgade close to the museum entrance, which is convenient for those who prefer to minimise walking, though short stretches of uneven pavement remain unavoidable.
Medicinsk Museion location weather suitability
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Any Weather
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Cold Weather
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Mild Temperatures
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Hot Weather
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Rain / Wet Weather
Discover more about Medicinsk Museion
Anatomy, science and stories on Bredgade
Medicinsk Museion occupies a grand 18th‑century building in Frederiksstaden, once home to the Royal Academy of Surgeons. Crossing the threshold, you move from elegant boulevard into a world built around the human body. Corridors lined with cabinets, creaking staircases and tall sash windows frame a museum that is as much about atmosphere as it is about objects. Here, medicine is presented as part of everyday life rather than a distant specialist discipline. Displays tie familiar experiences – vaccination, X‑rays, pregnancy scans, mental health treatment – to the tools, theories and technologies that made them possible. It is a place that turns abstract medical progress into tangible, sometimes unsettling, stories.From royal academy to medical museum
The main building was inaugurated in 1787, at a time when surgery was emerging from the realm of barber‑surgeons into a learned profession. For more than 150 years these rooms served as a training ground for doctors, until the medical faculty moved to new facilities in the 20th century and the collections evolved into a dedicated museum. As part of the University of Copenhagen, Medicinsk Museion operates both as a research unit and a public museum. Its collections, begun in the early 1900s by Copenhagen physicians, grew into one of the world’s most significant holdings of medical instruments, apparatus and anatomical material. The focus today is not only to preserve them, but to use them to ask how ideas about bodies, illness and care have changed – and where they may be heading.A vast collection of bodies and technologies
Galleries move from glass jars of preserved organs and wax models to early stethoscopes, microscopes and diagnostic devices. Surgical kits trace the shift from brutal pre‑anaesthetic procedures to more controlled, specialised operations. Displays on epidemics, vaccination and antibiotics reveal how societies have grappled with infectious disease, while exhibits on psychiatry highlight changing approaches to the mind. Rather than hiding the more confronting aspects of medicine, the museum presents them thoughtfully. Labels and thematic rooms encourage you to consider ethics, power and patient experience alongside scientific breakthroughs. Contemporary art interventions and temporary exhibitions often take recent developments – genetic testing, digital health data, organ transplantation – and set them against the longer arc of medical history.The dramatic surgical auditorium
At the heart of the complex is the historic anatomical auditorium, an oval, tiered space inspired by Europe’s anatomical theatres. Wooden benches rise steeply around a central demonstration table where dissections and operations were once performed before rows of students. Standing here, it is easy to imagine the smell of wax and chemicals, the rustle of notebooks and the tense silence before a procedure. This room has hosted many notable figures in Danish science and medicine, and today it remains remarkably intact. It is used for talks and events, but even when empty it offers a powerful sense of the performance of surgery, when learning often depended on witnessing the opened body. Photographers are especially drawn to the play of light on wood and plaster, though flash is not permitted.Visiting practicalities and atmosphere
Medicinsk Museion is an indoor experience spread across several floors, and the historic fabric is very present: narrow staircases, uneven steps and the absence of elevators reflect its listed status. This creates an evocative setting but also means access can be challenging for those with limited mobility or with strollers and large bags, which must be stored rather than taken into the galleries. There is no café or lunchroom, but a small shop offers books, posters and postcards related to medicine and the body. In the warmer months, the courtyard provides a quiet spot for a break with your own refreshments. Most visitors spend around two hours exploring, though enthusiasts of science, history or design often stay longer, following the dense displays from early anatomy to contemporary biomedicine at a slower pace.A thoughtful stop in central Copenhagen
Located on elegant Bredgade among embassies, churches and galleries, the museum fits naturally into a day exploring central Copenhagen. It offers a marked contrast to larger, more general museums: rooms are intimate, themes are focused and you are invited to reflect as much as to look. Whether you are interested in the evolution of surgery, curious about old hospital equipment or simply drawn to atmospheric historic interiors, Medicinsk Museion provides a distinctive lens on the city’s academic and medical heritage. It is a place where the past of the body is on display, yet the questions it raises – about health, technology and what it means to care – feel strikingly current.Iconic landmarks you can’t miss
Larsens Pl.
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St. Paul's Church
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I am Queen Mary
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Hans Christian Andersen plaque
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Horn mine
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Our Fallen
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Sankt Annæ Pl.
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Stromma Canal Tours Copenhagen
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Wilhelm Hansens Hus
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Iver Huitfeldt Memorial
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Kongens Nytorv
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Langelinie Park
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Monument to Denmark's international activities after 1948
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The King's Garden
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Inderhavnsbroen
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Unmissable attractions to see
Bredgade Kunsthandel
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Designmuseum Danmark
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St. Alexander Nevsky Church
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Frederik's Church
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Amalienborg Palace Museum
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Amaliegade
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Amalienborg
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Discover the majestic Rosenborg Castle—home to Denmark’s Crown Jewels, regal interiors, and lush gardens—offering a journey through centuries of royal Danish history.
Rytterstatuen
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Nyboder
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Amaliehaven
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A small but beautifully composed waterfront garden weaving royal vistas, sculpture, and harbor views into a calm green oasis in central Copenhagen.
Springvandet i Amaliehaven af Arnaldo Pomodoro
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Museum of Danish Resistance
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St Alban's Church
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Bredgade 18
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A quietly elegant address on Copenhagen’s grand Bredgade, surrounded by Frederiksstaden’s mansions, churches and design showrooms in the heart of the city.
Gefion Fountain
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Essential places to dine
Aoc
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Restaurant Rebel
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Kokkeriet
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Restaurant Vita
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Historic Danish dining in a former royal pharmacy, serving traditional smørrebrød and national classics.
Restaurant Koefoed
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Fine dining in a historic coal cellar celebrating Bornholm's culinary traditions and Danish gastronomy.
Den Lille Fede
0.6 km
Cosy, candlelit tasting-menu restaurant near Kongens Nytorv, where playful Nordic-inspired courses and thoughtful wine pairings turn dinner into an unhurried evening event.
Nyhavns Færgekro
0.6 km
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Goldfinch
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Cap Horn
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Skipperkroen
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Harbourfront smørrebrød and seafood in an 18th‑century Nyhavn house, pairing classic Danish flavours with canal views from cosy rooms and a lively terrace.
Bistro Royal
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Khun Juk
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Restaurant Grønnegade
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Seasonal Danish‑French fine dining in a 17th‑century Copenhagen townhouse, offering intimate, adults‑only evenings with polished service and thoughtful wine pairings.
Alouette
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Frank
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Markets, malls and hidden boutiques
Royal Souvenir Shop
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The Crown souvenir
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Compact, colorful souvenir stop on elegant Amaliegade, perfect for picking up Danish flags, Little Mermaid trinkets and royal-themed keepsakes near Amalienborg.
The Wilde Shop
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A boutique vintage shop in Indre By, Copenhagen bringing together handpicked retro clothing, sustainable fashion, and curated Scandinavian style in a welcoming setting.
Zane
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Intimate Copenhagen florist and design boutique on stylish Bredgade, blending seasonal blooms, Nordic homeware and thoughtful gifts in a cosy, lived-in space.
Maritime Antiques &
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Atmospheric basement shop near Nyhavn where genuine maritime antiques share space with heritage-inspired clothing and rugged knitwear in a cosy, ship-like setting.
Copenhagenglass
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Intimate glassblowing studio and shop near Nyhavn, where Danish maritime-inspired designs and hands-on sessions turn molten glass into memorable Copenhagen souvenirs.
Copenhagen Souvenir & Design World of Memories
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Denmark's largest souvenir chain with 14 locations offering over 2,000 authentic Danish keepsakes and contemporary design pieces.
Viking Souvenirs
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Danish Souvenirs & luggages
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Welcome Giftshop & Souvenirs
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Storm - design art fashion
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Copenhagen Souvenir & Design
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Magasin du Nord
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Henrik Vibskov Boutique
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Step off the cobblestones of Gammel Mønt into Henrik Vibskov’s offbeat fashion laboratory, where avant‑garde silhouettes, artful interiors and curated design collide.
Norse Projects
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Essential bars & hidden hideouts
Black Swan
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Aloha Beach Bar
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Island-inspired cocktails, neon glow and late-night party vibes packed into a compact tropical bar just off Gothersgade in central Copenhagen.
Bar Deco
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Brønnum
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Balthazar
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A luxurious Champagne bar at Hotel d’Angleterre, pairing an extensive bubbles list and crafted cocktails with velvet-luxe interiors and a lively DJ-backed ambience.
Trykbar
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Cosy, central Copenhagen bar with a strong beer list, warm lighting and a laid-back, inclusive atmosphere that blends hygge with lively late-night energy.
1105
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Intimate, dimly lit cocktail bar in Copenhagen’s 1105 postcode, pairing dark, elegant interiors with carefully crafted Nordic-inspired drinks and classic mixes.
The Moose
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Graffiti-plastered walls, infamous moose murals and cheap late-night beers make this smoky Indre By dive bar a gritty, unpolished slice of Copenhagen nightlife.
TATA Cocktail Bar
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A velvet-draped, fireplace-warmed cocktail hideaway inside Hotel Sanders, where classic mixology, Danish design and theatre-inspired charm blend seamlessly.
Charlie's Bar
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Discover the enchanting atmosphere of Charlie's Bar, a cozy haven in Copenhagen offering a diverse drink selection and a vibrant local vibe.
Bo-Bi Bar
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Experience the vibrant nightlife of Copenhagen at Bo-Bi Bar, where delightful drinks and a welcoming atmosphere await.
Gejser Bar
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Craft cocktails and Mediterranean cuisine in Copenhagen's most welcoming sophisticated bar.
Balderdash
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K-Bar
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Bar'Vin
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Nightclubs & after hour spots
Culture Box
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Mini Bar
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Lusso
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A compact, high-end Copenhagen nightclub with champagne-forward table service, dim lighting and a stylish late-night crowd just steps from Kongens Nytorv.
The Zoo
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Arch
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Mirage
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Dive into the electrifying nightlife at Mirage, Copenhagen's premier night club for an unforgettable evening of music, dancing, and entertainment.
Chateau Motel
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Hive
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Copenhagen's premier high-end nightclub with cutting-edge design, VIP service, and immersive themed experiences.
Operaen
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Rumors
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Mirror
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Miami Bar
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La Terraza
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Dorsia
1.6 km
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Cosy Bar
1.7 km
Discover the lively atmosphere of Cosy Bar, a top gay nightclub in Copenhagen offering fantastic music, vibrant crowds, and unforgettable nights.
For the vibe & atmosphere seeker
- Scenic
- Quirky
- Unique
- Casual
For the design and aesthetic lover
- Vintage Styles
- Modern Designs
For the architecture buff
- Historic
- Landmarks
- Art & Design
For the view chaser and sunset hunter
- Iconic Views
For the social media creator & influencer
- Instagrammable
- Photo Spots
- Architectural Shots
For the eco-conscious traveler
- Public-Transport Accessible
- Low Impact
For the kind of experience you’re after
- Cultural Heritage
- Photowalk
- Day Trip
- Mindfulness
For how adventurous you want the journey to be
- Easy Access
Location Audience
- Family Friendly
- Senior Friendly
- Teen Friendly
- Solo Friendly
- Couple Friendly
- Vegetarian Friendly
- Vegan Friendly
- Business Friendly
