Kulturnatten 2022
/This evening was Kulturnatten or Night of Culture in Copenhagen, when museums, galleries, churches, courthouse, government departments, libraries, theatres and the opera house and so much more, all open to show citizens what they do and how they work.
It's an amazing opportunity to get into major buildings that, normally, are not open to the public or at least not for people to just wander around and the evening is the chance to see behind the scenes of the major museums and galleries and theatres. Most of these organisations and institutions set up special exhibitions and they have guided tours and demonstrations with staff on hand to explain and answer questions.
Many of the events continue through to midnight and there are stalls where visitors can buy street food and drinks.
A culture pass - available from major museums and galleries - cost DKK 110 (just over £13) for adults. It gives access to everything and, with the pass. all public transport in the city is free which is useful because the venues are spread across much of the city.
Children enter free so it is an important family event and it is always scheduled for the Friday evening of the first weekend of the winter school break so it’s a real excuse for staying up late. It really is incredible to see thousands and thousands of families exploring their city at night.
Most years, I end up dashing around from one event to another - it's that fear of missing out thing - so this years I planned a tighter and slower route around the city. Somehow, since moving to the city, I have never got around to seeing the collection of plaster casts of ancient sculptures in a warehouse on the harbour so that was the start point and I wanted to see the Museum of Medicine in Bredgade, just two blocks away, so it also made sense to call in at Designmuseum Danmark nearby.
The route was not completely rational as I headed out to Nordhavn - because I wanted to see the offices of the architects Vilhelm Lauritzen - but then came back into the city and just followed my nose .... as much as anything to watch and to enjoy the broil of people having fun and learning more about their city in the process.
The Royal Cast Collection, Vestindisk Pakhus, Todbodgade 40, 1253 København
Medicinsk Museion, Bredgade 62, 1260 København K
