Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Step inside. The info desk (on the left as you enter) has racks of tourist in-
formation (city maps and other brochures). The building and its huge tower
were inspired by the city hall in Siena, Italy (with the necessary bad-weather
addition of a glass roof). Enormous functions fill this grand hall (the iron grate
in the center of the floor is an elevator for bringing up 1,200 chairs), while the
busts of four illustrious local boys—fairy-tale writer Hans Christian Ander-
sen, sculptor Bertel Thorvaldsen, physicist Niels Bohr, and the building's ar-
chitect, Martin Nyrop—look on. Underneath the floor are national archives
dating back to 1275, popular with Danes researching their family roots.
Danish Design Center —This center shows off the best in Danish design as
well as top examples from around the world, including architecture, fash-
ion, and graphic arts. A visit to this low-key display for sleek Scandinavian
objects offers an interesting glimpse into a culture that takes pride in func-
tionalism and minimalism. The ground and upper floors are filled with chan-
ging exhibits; the basement houses the “semipermanent” Denmark by Design
exhibit (likely through sometime in 2013), with samples of Danish design
from 1950 to 2000. The boutique next to the ticket counter features three
themes: travel light (chic travel accessories and gadgets), modern Danish
classics, and books and posters. Sometimes it feels a bit like an Ikea show-
room—suggesting the prevalence of Scandinavian design in our everyday
lives. But perusing the exhibits here, you'll come to see design not just as
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