The Art Library

The Art Library is located in the exhibition building at Charlottenborg. Here you can use the reading room and borrow materials on art and architectural history, art theory and museology.

Entrance area at the Danish Art Library

Photo: Thomas Søndergaard

At Charlottenborg in Nyhavn, you will find Scandinavia's largest art library in the Exhibition Building from 1884. Here are book collections, reading room spaces in the city's oldest original reading room, and all the while you are in the middle of the artistic environment.

Here there are library offers for everyone - especially art and architecture history, art theory and museology, thematic exhibitions, reading rooms and lounge spaces. The Art Library is next door to the Royal Danish Academy of Fine Arts and Charlottenborg Art Gallery, and there is a café and art exhibitions in the same building.

You can see The Art Library's cultural heritage collections: architectural drawings, architectural models, photographs, architect and artist archives in our Study Room Søborg.

Study spaces and reading rooms

Read about:

  1. Quiet reading room in Nyhavn
  2. Open study area in Nyhavn
  3. Study Room Søborg

Regulations for public areas at Royal Danish Library


1. Quiet reading room in Nyhavn

In Nyhavn there is a quiet reading room where you can sit and work. It is not possible to reserve the seats. The reading room also has a large number of overview and reference works that you can use.


2. Open study area in Nyhavn

In the library's central hall, we have two tables with eight study seats and two lounge areas with sofas.

We have a group room on the left at the back of the library. There is room for around 20 people. The group room cannot be reserved.

There are also spaces in the library that can be used for group work, and computers with access to digital resources. Outlets are available by the seats in the book collection and the reading room.


3. Study Room Søborg

We have a study room located at Transformervej 21b, Søborg.

We have some materials that you can only see in the study room. These are architectural drawings, artist archives, art history archives and similar archive materials which are in the storage facilities on Transformervej.

The study room is open a limited number of days a week and you can only visit it if you have made an appointment in advance.

Facilities

Read about:

  1. Wi-fi
  2. Storage lockers
  3. Computers and copiers
  4. Parking
  5. Access for handicapped persons
  6. Food and drink

Regulations for public areas at Royal Danish Library


1. Wi-fi

There is wireless access for laptops in the library area.


2. Storage lockers

It is possible to borrow a locker for up to two months at a time, where you can store the books you only use in the library.

There are also day lockers that you can use with a 20 DKK coin.


3. Computers and copiers

There are computers available for free use. However, you must be registered as a user at the Royal Danish Library to be able to use the computers.

There is also a copier for you to use. Read more about your options for using the copier.


4. Parking

Nyhavn: There is parking on the street. 
Søborg: There are parking spaces without payment.


5. Access for handicapped persons

There is direct, handicap-friendly access from the courtyard. From the library's central hall, there is a lift up to the reading room and down to the toilets in the basement, where there is also a disabled toilet.


6. Food and beverages

It is not possible to buy anything to eat or drink at the library, but you are welcome to bring your own.

Please note that you are not allowed to eat in the reading room and drinks must be covered.


Opening hours

The Art Library, Copenhagen
Access to the buildingMon-ThursFriSat-Sun
 10-17.3010-16Closed
More opening hours in The Art Library and Study Room Søborg
 Mon-WedThurs-Sun
Study Room Søborg
(Remember to make an appointment)
10-15Closed

The Art Library is always closed on all public holidays. In addition, Monday-Wednesday before Easter, Friday after Ascension Day and Constitution Day, and 23 December to 1 January (both days included). Study Room Søborg is closed for the whole of July, as well as weeks 31 and 32.

Read more