Since June 1st 2016 the National Museum of Denmark (including the Frilands Museum) and the Statens Museum for Kunst (SMK) have started charging an entrance fee. The museums have been free for the last ten years but this year they have both asked the Government for permission to start charging again. This is in part due to budget cuts they face coupled with the wish to still be able to offer the same level of high services to their visitors. Some politicians were against this move to charge as it undermines the rights of people to have free access to culture.

This is what the SMK say on their website about the changes:

The SMK has provided free admission to its permanent displays since 2006. We have been very happy with this arrangement, but the museum is now facing such dire financial straits that free admission is no longer feasible. In the years to come, the SMK’s state funding will be cut by eight per cent – corresponding to some 16 million kroner (2.1 million EUR).  The SMK wishes to maintain the high level of quality visitors expect from the National Gallery of Denmark, and this will not be possible in the long term without finding new sources of revenue. Hence, we reintroduced admission fees as of 1 June 2016.

However the museums have introduced a pricing structure that does offer savings for people especially if you are visiting with children. They are all offering free entry for children but a discounted adult entry if you are visiting with a child, thus making it more affordable for families. The year passes are also priced at a level to make them worthwhile if you plan to come more than three times in a year (it is worth noting the year pass in the SMK runs for twelve months not a calendar year). There are also discounts for under 30 year olds but none for seniors. If you check out their website (SMK) there are a number of options depending on your personal circumstances.

Likewise the National Museum of Denmark including a number of its other museums including the Frilands Museum are also charging now for the same reason and have ticket combinations worth looking at, especially the year pass for all sites (the two mentioned above and Tøjhusmuseet, Kommandørgården, Musikmuseet, Brede Værk, Frøslevlejrens Museum and Hangar 46) . For more information here.

Whilst it is a shame that national cultural institutions need to start charging they have, at least, given a lot of thought as to how to keep their core and loyal visitors coming, whilst maintaining their services.