The National Royal Library of Denmark has been the main repository of photographic artwork since 1839 – its collection is made up of over 18 million photographs. In 1996, the National Danish Museum of Photography was founded and housed in the basement of the modernist waterfront building the Black Diamond, built as an extension to the Royal Danish Library in Copenhagen.
Some 100,000 photographs from the original Royal Library collection found their new home in the museum. Represented in its collection are Danish and international photography from the 18th century to the present which shows a comprehensive chronicle of the evolution of the art and processes of photography through the ages. Professional photographers as well as serious hobbyists will find a visit to the museum totally engrossing what with its displays of early photo-chemical experiments, pictoralism, private photo albums right up to contemporary photo and even video art.
The museum also holds over 650 pieces of daguerrotypes, the biggest collection in all of Scandinavia. Works from famous photographers all over the world can be found in the museum such as Henry Fox Talbot, Maxime du Camp, Julia Margaret Cameron, Man Ray, Henri Cartier-Bresson and Richard Avedon. Danish photographers are also well-represented in the collection: Jesper Hom, Per Bak Jensen, Viggo Rivad, Nikolai Howalt, Jorgen Schytte and many more. Aside from this, the museum also has a changing exhibition of works from contemporary photographers as well as loans and collaborations with different artists and institutions from other countries.
The museum is open six days a week from Monday to Saturday.
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