Skip-the-line available The best time to visit Amalienborg
How to time your slot around the noon Changing of the Guard, the seasons and the Monday closures.
Amalienborg has one fixed point in its day: the Changing of the Guard on the square at noon. The museum inside Christian VIII's Palace runs timed slots of 15 minutes, 60 people at a time, from 10:00, so the real question is whether you want the ceremony, the quiet, or both. This guide covers the time of day, the seasons and the dates when the museum is closed.
Best time of day
The first slots after 10:00 are the calmest. The square is quiet, and you have the kings' studies and the Fabergé Chamber with the fewest people around you. If you want to see the Changing of the Guard as well, an early slot leaves time to come back out onto the square before noon.
The alternative is to watch the guard first. The guards march from Rosenborg Castle at 11:30 and change in front of the palaces at noon, and the square is at its busiest in that hour. A slot shortly after noon means you can watch the ceremony and then walk straight in through the gate nearest Frederiksgade.
Timing the Changing of the Guard
The ceremony happens every day at noon, and it is free. When the King is in residence, the King's Guard marches too, with a band playing military marches, which makes it a larger spectacle than the everyday change. The museum ticket doesn't include it and doesn't need to; the square is public.
Arrive a little before noon for a place near the palaces. Once the guard has changed, the crowd thins quickly, and a slot at 12:15 or 12:30 usually works well for seeing both without rushing.
Best time of year
From 28 March to 1 November the museum opens every day, 10:00 to 16:00, with longer hours in the summer holidays (in 2026, 10:00 to 17:00 from 27 June to 30 August). Late spring and early autumn combine full opening days with lighter crowds than midsummer.
From 2 November to 23 December the museum is closed on Mondays and open 10:00 to 16:00 the rest of the week. Autumn slots run from 10:00 to 15:15. Winter is quieter, and the rooms, with their lamps and dark panelling, suit a grey Copenhagen afternoon.
Christmas and New Year
The museum is closed on 24 and 25 December 2026. It reopens 10:00 to 16:00 from 26 to 30 December, including Monday 28 December, and closes early at 14:00 on 31 December. On 1 January 2027 it opens 11:00 to 19:00.
Holiday dates are when timed slots are most likely to fill, so book ahead if you are in Copenhagen between Christmas and New Year, and check the week's opening hours before you travel.
Frequently asked
What is the best time to visit Amalienborg?
The first slots after 10:00 are the quietest. If you want the Changing of the Guard too, choose a slot just after noon, or an early slot that leaves time to come out for the ceremony.
Is the museum open on Mondays?
Until 1 November, yes. From 2 November to 23 December it is closed on Mondays, and open 10:00 to 16:00 the rest of the week.
What time is the Changing of the Guard?
Noon, every day, on the palace square. The guards march from Rosenborg Castle at 11:30.