War Museums - Tøjhusmuseet

Tøjhusmuseet - København - Denmark

Address: Tøjhusgade 3, København (See map)
Telephone: +45 (0)33 116037
Website: http://www.thm.dk

Shop: shop present
Restaurant/refreshments: not available
Size of the museum/site: large
Year of visit: 2005
Overall rating:

Description: Visiting the Tøjhusmuseet in downtown Copenhagen makes for a perfect combination with a visit to the Frihedsmuseet a bit to the north of the city-centre. While the latter focuses entirely on WWII, the Tøjhusmuseet deals with Danish military heritage in general. Part of the museum is reserved for temporary exhibitions. While we were there, the temporary exhibition was about the days of yore of the Danish Redcoats, which wasn't disappointing (see photos below).

During the 17th century the Tøjhus was used as a massive storage space for arms, and that is exactly what it's used for these days! The museum is chockfull of guns, canons, small firearms, rocket launchers and other instruments of war. The true weapon aficionado will have the time of his life here. The rest of us may wish there were a few more dioramas in which all this weaponry would be displayed in a historical setting...

Having said that, the Tøjhusmuseet is by no means a waste of time. Strolling through the vast halls of this former armoury is an experience on its own. The temporary exhibitions form a good and lively addition to the permanent collection dealing with all the weapons of destruction. It's a bit of a shame the information panels accompanying the permanent exhibition aren't translated into any foreign languages, but that's live eh?!

Scale model of the arsenal of Slotsholmen, in which the museum is housed.

Danish cavalry kettledrums.

Great diorama of a "Gauntlet Avenue". "Running the Gauntlet" was a widely used punishment for soldiers who violated military rules. The offender had to walk several times between two rows of 150 of his comrades who were allowed to hit him (with death as a possible outcome). The expression 'running the gauntlet' is still in use these days.

Overview of the small arms exhibition upstairs.

The Montigny Mitrailleuse from 1867 could fire up to 370 rounds per minute.

Richly decorated horse armour.

Overview of the downstairs exhibition hall boasting canons and guns from different periods.

Pre World War II Carden-Loyd reconnaisance vehicle.

Puckles Revolvercanon on tripod. This device, built by the Englishman James Puckle around 1718, is simply a revolver in XXL-size.

Crane used to mount heavy guns on gun-carriages.


Scale model of the arsenal of Slotsholmen, in which the museum is housed.	Danish cavalry kettledrums.

Great diorama of a "Gauntlet Avenue". "Running the Gauntlet" was a widely used punishment for soldiers who violated military rules. The offender had to walk several times between two rows of 150 of his comrades who were allowed to hit him (with death as a possible outcome). The expression 'running the gauntlet' is still in use these days.	Overview of the small arms exhibition upstairs.

The Montigny Mitrailleuse from 1867 could fire up to 370 rounds per minute.	Richly decorated horse armour.

Overview of the downstairs exhibition hall boasting canons and guns from different periods.	Pre World War II Carden-Loyd reconnaisance vehicle.

Puckles Revolvercanon on tripod. This device, built by the Englishman James Puckle around 1718, is simply a revolver in XXL-size.	Crane used to mount heavy guns on gun-carriages.