Copenhagen is set to open a new Natural History Museum in the spring of 2027, almost two decades after the project began. The museum aims to showcase the University of Copenhagen’s extensive and unique collections, rivaling similar institutions in cities like New York and London.

The project, initiated in 2009 with an open idea competition, seeks to unify the Natural History Museum, the Geological Museum, and the Botanical Museum, including the Botanical Garden. Construction commenced in 2019, and the building has now been handed over to the University of Copenhagen. The interior design and exhibition setup are underway.

Designed by architect Claus Pryds in collaboration with Lundgaard & Tranberg, the museum is primarily located underground, with a newly built welcome building inside the Botanical Garden, behind the old Polytechnic School. The most visible feature will be a large, matte glass dome, though the original plan for transparent dome housing whale skeletons has been abandoned.

The main entrance will be located inside the Botanical Garden, leading visitors down into the museum’s exhibition spaces. The museum hopes to create a more unified museum area in Copenhagen by connecting Østre Anlæg, SMK, The Hirschsprung Collection, the Botanical Garden, and Kongens Have through underground connections. This ambitious project includes a common foyer, ticket sales area, and museum shops.