Copenhagen is busy on Saturdays. Lots of folks out and about. You just never know what you will stumble into. We began with yet another delicious breakfast at Mad & Kaffe. That place never disappoints. If in Copenhagen, it is a must that will become your routine.
Then we took a Viggo (Danish Green Uber system) to the National Museum of Denmark. Wow. The museum has stunning collections from Prehistoric to a Viking Raid to the rise of Christianity to the Colonial exploits and so much more.
Gratefully all the exhibits are explained in Danish and English. It’s a very interactive museum with surprises peaking among the rooms (Sir George comes to life to defeat the dragon). If you see a yellow marker with 2 flashing buttons – one Danish flag and one British – pick one for a surprise historical experience.
Denmark has one of the largest Viking collections in the world. Simply brilliant and accessible. Join the The Raid on an autumn day in 859, where you follow legendary Viking Björn Ironside and his valorous companion Hasting. Ignited by the desire for adventure and riches, their combined fleet of 62 ships set sail for Rome. They found victory, riches, illness and even death. Sobering.
The Viking exhibits are fascinating. Explaining not only the language of Runes but the purposes too of the large Runed rocks found throughout Scandinavian countries. Gold, silver and precious gems sparkle from beneath glass cases. Treasure for the ages.
The Middle Ages exhibits follow the timeline of the Old Gods replaced by Christianity. The art is carved and precious for it’s storytelling. As reading and writing was not common to the average person, the art spread the message of Jesus and Mary. Mary is not minor player in the telling, she is central to the message of faith and womanhood.
I was surprised by the number of female figures celebrated in the Middle Age Christian art as I am more familiar with the male influence and exclusivity. It seems reflective of the Viking culture that revered men and women as having different but equal value in community.
We continue to wander through the museum when things get complicated. Successful sailing fleets lead to colonialism and the Dutch Trading Company. Suddenly you are met with hard truths of enslaving Brazil and bringing in African slaves to work the land. The art is propaganda of colonial beliefs with the Natives depicted as ‘beautiful savages’ in need of white man’s laws. While the museum speaks to the cruel propaganda and practices, it’s uncomfortable. It should be.
Wandering through the Ethnographic Collections forces one to contemplate the very real dilemma of museums ‘plundered art vs saving art’ to learn from. Once again it is complicated and I appreciate the sensitivity the National Museum is encompassing.
By this point, our brains are boggled with facts, sparkle and uncomfortable truths. We must go out to the streets again to find equilibrium again. We wander toward the canal and parliament buildings only to stumble upon a canal swimming relay race.
The contrast is startling yet lovely.
Copenhagen is rooted in the past yet reaching for better days for all. Wandering leads to more brilliant statues, churches, shiny shops and a multitude of cafes to ponder the day. The streets are filled with the last crowds of holiday travelers. We mingle right in.
We find a delicious Vietnamese cafe with shaded outdoor seating to tuck in for refreshment. We are not disappointed. The afternoon sparkles.
Just another day in Copenhagen. Joy!
Project Empty Nest 