National Museum of Denmark

The National Museum occupies the Prince's Palace behind Christiansborg and holds the country's principal collection of Danish history, from the Stone Age to the twentieth century. The prehistoric rooms are the strongest part: the Sun Chariot, a bronze horse pulling a gilded disc from around 1400 BC, the oak coffin burials with clothing and hair preserved, and the Gundestrup cauldron, a large silver vessel covered in figures whose origin is still argued over. Beyond that there are medieval church interiors, an ethnographic collection, a Viking hall and a children's museum that genuinely works. It is large enough to need a plan.

What you actually see

• The Sun Chariot - the Bronze Age horse pulling a gilded disc.
• The Gundestrup cauldron - the large decorated silver vessel found in a bog.
• The oak coffin burials - Bronze Age clothing, hair and remains preserved in oak.
• The children's museum - the hands-on section that occupies younger visitors properly.

When to go

Year-round and entirely indoors, which makes it the standard Copenhagen wet day plan, so expect company when it rains. Weekday mornings are calmest. Allow at least three hours, and pick two or three sections rather than trying to walk the whole building in a single visit.

Honest expectations

It is big, and the layout across wings and floors is confusing enough that people lose time backtracking. Presentation in some of the older galleries is dated compared with Moesgaard. The Danish prehistory rooms are excellent; several other departments are much weaker. The cafe is expensive and crowded at lunch.

Nearby

Christiansborg and the canal at Frederiksholms Kanal are alongside; Tivoli is ten minutes on foot.