Amalienborg Museum · Copenhagen

Step inside Amalienborg, where Denmark's royals still live

Inside Christian VIII's Palace, you walk through the private studies of four Danish kings and a queen.

From €32 Adult ticket, per person

The sandstone rococo façade of Christian VIII's Palace at Amalienborg, with its columned centre, roofline statues and the Danish flag above, seen across the cobbled palace square in Copenhagen. — Four matching palaces face each other across the octagonal square, Frederick V on his horse at the centre.

Three ways in

Choose your ticket

The adult and student tickets are for the Amalienborg Museum at the slot you choose. The Royal Palace Pass is different: you book a Rosenborg Castle slot, and Amalienborg and Christiansborg follow within 72 hours.

On the day Entry runs in 15-minute slots of 60 people. Sell-outs are rare, but busy days do fill.

Most chosen

Adult ticket

One adult, timed entry to the Amalienborg Museum in Christian VIII's Palace

€32per person

Reserve adult ticket

What it covers

Timed entry to the Amalienborg Museum: you choose the day and the 15-minute slot
The private studies of four Danish kings, from Christian IX to Frederik IX, and Queen Louise's sitting room
The piano nobile halls and the Gala Hall, still used by the royal family for official visits and events
The Fabergé Chamber, with gifts from the Russian imperial family to their Danish relatives
No time limit once you are in: stay until the museum closes
Mobile ticket by email once the booking is confirmed, plus a 5-minute audio history

Student ticket

One student with valid student ID, checked at the museum entrance

€22per person

Reserve student ticket

What it covers

Timed entry to the Amalienborg Museum: you choose the day and the 15-minute slot
The private studies of four Danish kings, from Christian IX to Frederik IX, and Queen Louise's sitting room
The piano nobile halls and the Gala Hall, still used by the royal family for official visits and events
The Fabergé Chamber, with gifts from the Russian imperial family to their Danish relatives
Your valid student ID is checked at the museum entrance, not by us, so bring it with you
Mobile ticket by email once the booking is confirmed, plus a 5-minute audio history

Royal Palace Pass

One adult: starts with a booked Rosenborg Castle slot, then 72 hours for Amalienborg and Christiansborg

€49per person

The time you choose on this card is a Rosenborg Castle entry slot, not an Amalienborg one.

Reserve the Palace Pass

What it covers

From that first visit, 72 hours to walk into the Amalienborg Museum, with no time slot to book
All Christiansborg Palace visitor sites in the same 72 hours: the Royal Reception Rooms, the Royal Kitchen, the Ruins and the Royal Stables
The palaces' own audio guide free at all three, and 10% off in the palace shops
Christiansborg can close for official events, so plan it early in your 72 hours
Adults only: under-18s enter all three palaces free with a free ticket

Booking through this desk

The four corners

Refund if we can't deliver

Full money back if your ticket can't be issued

Real humans, not bots

Questions answered in English by a person

Priced in the currency you use

Same price at checkout, no FX surprise

No hidden fees

The total you see is what you pay

Amalienborg in short

The Octagon

Since 1794

Home of Denmark's royal family

1750

Rococo palaces by Nicolai Eigtved

Gala Hall

Still used by the royals

Visitors per 15-minute slot

Frederiksstaden, from 1750

Four mansions, one square

Amalienborg is four palaces around one octagonal square, begun in 1750 as the centrepiece of Frederiksstaden, the district Frederick V launched to mark three hundred years of the Oldenburg dynasty on the Danish throne. Nicolai Eigtved drew the plans. When he died in 1754, Lauritz de Thurah carried on strictly to his design, and the palaces were finished in 1760. They were built as town mansions for four noble families, not for a king.

The royal family moved in only after Christiansborg Palace burned in 1794 and left them homeless. The museum is in Christian VIII's Palace, the northwestern of the four, built for Count Christian Frederik Levetzau. His family set one condition on the sale: the Levetzau coat of arms must never be removed. You can still see it on the building beside the monarch's. The palace is named after Christian VIII, who grew up here and became king in 1839.

One king after another

The private rooms

Inside, the museum follows the Glücksburg kings who have reigned since 1863. You walk through the private studies of four kings, from Christian IX to Frederik IX, and Queen Louise's crowded sitting room. Most of these rooms were recreated here from other palaces on the square. Only Christian X's study is still in its original place, because he was the one Glücksburg king who lived in this palace.

A king's writing desk at the Amalienborg Museum, crowded with pipes, framed family photographs and two table lamps. — Frederik IX's bright study: modern furniture beside historical objects.

The kings' studies

The heart of the museum is a run of private studies belonging to four kings, Christian IX, Frederik VIII, Christian X and Frederik IX, plus Queen Louise's sitting room. The museum notes that the queens of this period had their own duties, which is why her crowded room was originally described as her study. The rooms don't run in date order: Frederik IX's bright study, with modern furniture beside historical objects, comes first.

A drawing room at the Amalienborg Museum hung with gilt-framed family portraits above tufted silk chairs and a fringed sofa. — Gilt frames to the cornice, tufted silk below.

Queen Alexandrine's Salon

The palace's former dining room is now Queen Alexandrine's Salon, a mirrored room about the queen who lived here with Christian X until his death in 1947, and then alone until her death in 1952. It is included with the standard museum ticket.

A hall on the piano nobile at Amalienborg with fluted gilded columns, a crystal chandelier and a canopied chair on a red carpet. — Upstairs on the piano nobile: gilded columns, and rooms still in use.

The piano nobile and the Gala Hall

Upstairs is the piano nobile, the grand floor of the palace. Its halls are not a stage set: the royal family still uses them for official visits and events, and the Gala Hall is among them. This is the part of the building where the museum stages its special exhibitions, and the audio guide uses it to take you back to the height of the absolutist monarchy, through gilded halls and rooms designed to project power.

Small, dark, easy to miss

The Fabergé Chamber

The Fabergé Chamber is small, dark and easy to miss, and it holds some of the most remarkable objects in the museum. It exists because of a marriage: in 1866 Princess Dagmar, daughter of Christian IX and Queen Louise, married the future Emperor Alexander III of Russia. She kept close ties with her parents, and gifts made by the Russian court jeweller Peter Carl Fabergé travelled to Copenhagen for decades.

Royal Life Guards in bearskin caps and blue trousers marching in file across the cobbles of Amalienborg's square. — The Royal Life Guard changes in front of the palaces, every day at noon.

Free, on the cobbles

Noon on the square

The Royal Life Guard guards Amalienborg day and night, and the Changing of the Guard takes place on the square at noon every day. It is free and public, and it is not part of any museum ticket. The guards march from Rosenborg Castle at 11:30 through the streets of Copenhagen, in bearskin caps, and the change itself happens in front of the palaces.

When the King is in residence, the King's Guard marches too, with a band playing military marches. The square is at its busiest from about 11:30 until the guard has changed. If you want both, a museum slot shortly after noon lets you watch the ceremony and then walk straight in through the gate nearest Frederiksgade.

Outside the gate

Four views of the square

The octagonal Amalienborg square in Copenhagen with the four matching rococo palaces around it and the equestrian statue at the centre. — One square, four matching palaces, each the same height as the next.

The bronze equestrian statue of Frederick V on its tall plinth in the middle of Amalienborg's palace square. — Jacques Saly's Frederick V, unveiled in the middle of the square in 1771.

The patterned stone paving of Amalienborg Palace Square, set in pale loops and circles across dark cobbles. — The palace square at ground level, paved in loops and circles.

The green dome of the Marble Church rising behind a fountain and the roofs of the palaces, seen from the Copenhagen waterfront. — The dome of the Marble Church, seen past the fountain in Amaliehaven.

The gate nearest Frederiksgade

Before you arrive

Opening hours

10:00 to 16:00. Open every day until 1 November; from 2 November to 23 December the museum is closed on Mondays. Closed 24 and 25 December, and 10:00 to 14:00 on 31 December. Check the week's hours before you go.

Address

Amalienborg Museum, Christian VIII's Palace, Amalienborg Slotsplads 5, 1257 Copenhagen K. The entrance is through the gate nearest Frederiksgade.

How long to allow

About an hour for the studies, the piano nobile and the Fabergé Chamber. There is no time limit once you are in, so you can stay until closing.

Entry

Timed entry in 15-minute slots of 60 people. Arrive within the slot you booked. Under-18s enter free but need a free ticket.

Photography

Handheld cameras and phones only. Tripods and monopods are not allowed, and commercial or wedding photography is not permitted.

Getting there

Marmorkirken (the Marble Church) is the nearest Metro station, served by the M3 and M4 lines. There is no parking; drop-off is on Frederiksgade, about 50 m from the entrance.

Longer reading

Notes from the visitor guide

What is the Amalienborg Museum? The Amalienborg Museum is the one part of Amalienborg you can walk into on an ordinary day. Amalienborg is four rococo palaces set around an octagonal square in Frederiksstaden, and the Danish royal family lives in them when they are in Copenhagen. A short history of the square Frederick V launched Frederiksstaden to mark three hundred years of the Oldenburg dynasty on the Danish throne, and Amalienborg was its centrepiece. Christian VIII's Palace The museum's building was begun for Count Christian Frederik Levetzau, which is why it is also called Levetzau's Palace. When his family's estate sold it, they set one condition: the Levetzau coat of arms must never be removed. Who this is not for If you want the Crown Jewels, go to Rosenborg Castle, where they are kept in the basement Treasury; Amalienborg is about the modern royal family, not the regalia.

Read the whole visitor guide

Sent with your booking

Your Amalienborg Palace 5-minute guide

A short spoken history, sent with your booking, so you walk into Christian VIII's Palace knowing whose rooms you are standing in and why four noble mansions became a royal home.

What it covers

Why Frederick V built a square of four identical palaces for noblemen, not kings
How the 1794 Christiansborg fire moved the royal family onto the square for good
Why only one of the kings' studies is still where it started
The Russian marriage behind the Fabergé Chamber

English narration, about five minutes. Listen before you go; no app or download needed.

Before the day itself

Five short guides

Asked at the desk

Questions from the square

Do I have to choose a time?

Yes. The Amalienborg Museum admits visitors in 15-minute slots of 60 people, and the museum asks you to arrive within the slot you booked. Once you are inside there is no time limit, so you can stay until closing.

Do children need a ticket?

Under-18s enter the Amalienborg Museum free, so we never sell a child ticket. They still need a free ticket from the museum: collect one at the ticket desk on the day, or get one alongside the adults' booking. Book tickets for the adults only.

How does the student ticket work?

It is for students with valid student ID. The museum checks the ID at the entrance, not us, so bring it with you. If you can't show valid ID on the day, book the adult ticket instead.

What is inside the museum?

The private studies of four Danish kings from Christian IX to Frederik IX, and Queen Louise's sitting room. Upstairs are the piano nobile halls and the Gala Hall, still used by the royal family. The Fabergé Chamber holds gifts from the Russian imperial family.

How long should I allow?

About an hour covers the studies, the piano nobile and the Fabergé Chamber at a comfortable pace. Allow longer if you want the audio guide or plan to watch the Changing of the Guard at noon.

Is the museum wheelchair accessible?

Yes. A platform lift and a conventional lift give access to every part of the museum. The lift door is 80 cm wide with a 225 kg limit, so some large electric wheelchairs may not fit. The museum lends a wheelchair free if you book it ahead.

Can I bring a bag or backpack?

Backpacks are not allowed inside, and handbags must be no bigger than 15 × 23 × 15 cm and worn in front. Larger bags go in the free cloakroom lockers. There is no room for suitcases or large luggage.

Can I take photographs?

Yes, with handheld cameras and phones. Tripods and monopods are not allowed, and commercial or wedding photography is not permitted inside the museum.

How do I get to the museum?

Take the Metro to Marmorkirken, the nearest station, on the M3 or M4 line. The entrance is through the gate nearest Frederiksgade. There is no parking; drop-off is on Frederiksgade, about 50 m away.

Is the Changing of the Guard included?

No, and it doesn't need to be. The Royal Life Guard changes on the palace square at noon, free and open to everyone. The guards march from Rosenborg Castle at 11:30, so a slot just after noon lets you see both.

What if the museum closes for a royal event?

Amalienborg is a working royal residence, and the piano nobile halls are still used for official visits and events. If the museum changes its opening on your date, we contact you to move your visit. If we can't deliver your visit at all, you get a full refund.

Can I change my date or slot?

Sometimes. Tickets are non-refundable, but email us before your visit and we will ask the museum to move you to another slot. Whether that is possible depends on the museum, so book the date you intend to keep.

What is the Royal Palace Pass?

An adult pass for three palaces. It starts with the 10-minute Rosenborg Castle slot you pick at checkout. From that first visit you have 72 hours to see the Amalienborg Museum and every Christiansborg Palace visitor site, with no further slots to book.

Is this the official website?

No. We are an independent concierge service that buys the museum ticket for you and answers questions in English. The museum is run by Kongernes Samling, the Royal Danish Collection, and you can buy directly at kongernessamling.dk.

How will I receive my ticket?

By email, once your booking is confirmed. Show it on your phone at the entrance, or print it if you prefer. If it hasn't arrived, check your spam folder and then reply to your confirmation email.

Is the museum open on Mondays?

Until 1 November, yes: the museum opens every day, 10:00 to 16:00. From 2 November to 23 December it is closed on Mondays. Our date picker only shows days the museum is open.

Is there an audio guide?

The museum has its own smartphone audio guide in Danish and English, sold separately at the museum and included free with the Royal Palace Pass. Every booking with us also comes with our own 5-minute audio history to hear before you go.

I have a Copenhagen Card. Do I need this?

No. The museum accepts the Copenhagen Card: show the card's QR code at the museum shop for a ticket. Slots can't be pre-booked with the card, but you don't need to buy from us.

Longer answers from the visitor guide

Can I go inside the palace where the King lives?

No. The King and Queen live in Frederik VIII's Palace, which is private. The Amalienborg Museum is in Christian VIII's Palace across the square, and it is the part of Amalienborg open on an ordinary day.

Are the kings' studies original?

The furnishings are the kings' own, but most rooms were recreated here from other palaces on the square. Only Christian X's study is still in its original place.

Is the Gala Hall always open?

It is on the museum route. The piano nobile halls are still used by the royal family for official visits and events; if the museum changes its opening on your date, we contact you.

Do I need a ticket for the Changing of the Guard?

No. It is free and public on the square at noon. The guards set off from Rosenborg Castle at 11:30.

Do under-18s pay?

No. Under-18s enter free but need a free ticket, collected at the ticket desk on the day or obtained alongside the adults' booking.

Is there somewhere to leave luggage?

Free lockers take larger handbags and backpacks, but there is no space for suitcases or large luggage.

Can I combine Amalienborg with Rosenborg and Christiansborg?

Yes, with the Royal Palace Pass. It starts with a booked Rosenborg slot and then gives you 72 hours for the Amalienborg Museum and every Christiansborg visitor site.

About this service

Amalienborg Palace Tickets is an independent booking service. We buy the museum ticket on your behalf from Kongernes Samling, the Royal Danish Collection, which runs the Amalienborg Museum, and we handle the booking admin and your questions. We are not affiliated with the Royal Danish Collection or the Danish royal household, and you can buy directly at kongernessamling.dk.