From Copenhagen Central Station (København H), leave on the Bernstorffsgade side facing Tivoli Gardens, turn right toward Tietgensgade, and then walk east toward H.C. Andersens Boulevard. Turn left along the boulevard and use the pedestrian crossing into Ny Vestergade. The National Museum of Denmark is at Ny Vestergade 10.
The Copenhagen Metro’s station guide estimates the walk at 12 minutes. No bus or Metro transfer is needed after reaching Central Station. The main mistake is leaving through the Reventlowsgade side, which puts you west of the station and sends you away from the museum.
Ny Carlsberg Glyptotek is a useful landmark near the corner of Tietgensgade and H.C. Andersens Boulevard, but it is a separate museum. Continue north from that junction until you reach Ny Vestergade rather than stopping at the first museum building you see.
Leave Copenhagen Central Station on the Tivoli side
From the main station hall, follow signs toward Bernstorffsgade. Tivoli Gardens should be across the street when you emerge. Turn right and walk south along Bernstorffsgade, keeping the station on your right and Tivoli on your left. If Tivoli is your actual destination, use the Tivoli Gardens from Copenhagen Airport and the city center route instead of continuing toward the National Museum.
If you arrive on the M3 or M4 Metro, use the pedestrian tunnel connecting the Metro station with the main railway terminal. This lets you reach the Bernstorffsgade side without first surfacing near Reventlowsgade.
The Reventlowsgade exit is on the Vesterbro side of the tracks. If you leave there by mistake, do not continue west along Istedgade. Return through the station concourse and cross to the Bernstorffsgade entrance.
Turn onto Tietgensgade at the end of Tivoli
At the southern end of the station building, turn left onto Tietgensgade. This is the first street change that matters: continuing straight beyond the junction would take you south instead of toward the museum.
Follow Tietgensgade east with Tivoli’s southern boundary on your left. The road leads directly to H.C. Andersens Boulevard. Ny Carlsberg Glyptotek is near the junction and confirms that you have reached the correct side of Tivoli.
Do not confuse the Glyptotek with the National Museum. The Glyptotek contains art and antiquities and faces the area around Dantes Plads; the National Museum is farther north at Ny Vestergade 10.
Follow H.C. Andersens Boulevard to Ny Vestergade
At H.C. Andersens Boulevard, turn left and continue north. The boulevard carries several lanes of traffic and has cycle lanes, so use the marked pedestrian crossings rather than cutting across between intersections.
Turn right into Ny Vestergade. Look for the Nationalmuseet name and the entrance at number 10. The museum occupies the former Prince’s Palace, but the address is a more dependable arrival check than waiting for a large open plaza.
If you reach Stormgade without finding the entrance, you have passed Ny Vestergade. Turn back toward H.C. Andersens Boulevard and look for the side street immediately south of Stormgade.
Do not add a Metro transfer after reaching København H
Copenhagen Central Station also serves the M3 and M4 Metro lines, but those lines are not needed for the final journey described here. The official Metro station page places the National Museum within a 12-minute walk of København H.
Travelling onward to another station replaces a direct walk with additional platform navigation and a second station exit. Remain at Central Station unless the walk itself is unsuitable because of mobility needs, severe weather, or luggage that is difficult to handle on city pavements.
Nørreport works well for northern central areas, but for the National Museum, Central Station is more direct. It should not be used as a recovery point if you lose the route near Tivoli; Bernstorffsgade, Tietgensgade, and H.C. Andersens Boulevard provide clearer reference points without sending you across the city centre. If The Round Tower is your actual destination, use the Nørreport Station to The Round Tower route instead.
From Copenhagen Airport, take a train to Copenhagen Central Station
The railway station at Copenhagen Airport is in Terminal 3. The airport’s official guidance directs passengers travelling toward central Copenhagen to the train platforms below the terminal.
Check the departure screens for a train calling at København H rather than boarding solely because a train is leaving from the city-bound platforms. Purchase the required ticket from the DSB office or a ticket machine in Terminal 3 before boarding; tickets are not sold on the train.
Leave the train at København H and follow the station signs to the Bernstorffsgade side. There is no reason to change to the Metro after the airport train: the remaining journey is the 12-minute walk past Tivoli and along Tietgensgade. If Nyhavn is your actual destination, use the Nyhavn from Copenhagen Airport via Kongens Nytorv route instead of taking the airport train to København H.
Use a taxi when the walk, not the route, is the problem
A taxi is useful for travellers who cannot comfortably manage the walk from Central Station, particularly in heavy rain or when transporting children and luggage. Give the driver the complete destination—Nationalmuseet, Ny Vestergade 10—because the museum is close to several major attractions and a destination name alone can be less precise than the address.
A taxi does not provide a meaningful advantage once you are already walking east along Tietgensgade. H.C. Andersens Boulevard and the surrounding one-way streets can make the driven approach less direct than the remaining pedestrian distance.
Store backpacks and large bags before entering the exhibitions
The museum does not allow backpacks or large bags inside its exhibitions. Free locked lockers are available for luggage, so travellers arriving from the airport can store their bags after entering rather than carrying them through the galleries.
The museum also does not permit visitors’ own prams or strollers in the exhibition areas. A lock can be borrowed so the stroller can be left just inside the entrance, and museum strollers are available for use during the visit.
Check the seasonal opening days before leaving the station
From April through October, the National Museum is open daily from 10:00 to 17:00. From November through March, it is closed on Mondays and open Tuesday through Sunday from 10:00 to 17:00. It is also closed on December 24, December 25, and December 31.
A 17:00 closing time does not mean every area remains available until the final minute. The museum begins closing at 16:45, and the Children’s Museum closes at 16:30. Account for the walk from Central Station before deciding whether a late-afternoon arrival leaves enough visiting time.
Wheelchair access and stroller arrangements begin at the entrance
The National Museum states that the entire museum is wheelchair accessible. Visitors may also borrow a wheelchair or walker. Two lifts serve the Metro station at København H, and the underground pedestrian connection links the Metro with the main railway terminal.
The street route still crosses Tietgensgade and H.C. Andersens Boulevard. Visitors who need step-free directions or wish to minimise outdoor crossings should check the live journey planner before departure or use a taxi to Ny Vestergade 10.
Sources checked
National Museum of Denmark — location and access overview — https://en.natmus.dk/visit-us/
Copenhagen Airport — transport connections — https://www.cph.dk/en/parking-transport
Visit Copenhagen — transport overview — https://www.visitcopenhagen.com
Last updated: April 2026.
