Danish design is known and loved – both at home and abroad. But what led to its success, which designs are central, and who are the major Danish designers of the 20th century? The exhibition ‘Danish Modern’ unfolds the story of Danish design from the 1920s to the 1970s, focusing on the creation of some of the most iconic Danish design objects.

The new permanent exhibition Danish Modern invites the audience on a design journey from furniture professor Kaare Klint’s ‘Room for a Woman’, over Finn Juhl’s organic and elegant furniture to Verner Panton and Nanna Ditzel’s avant-garde pop designs. In short, a fascinating journey through everything we now know as Danish design icons mixed with unknown designs by well-known designers.

Danish Modern also brings back the popular ‘chair tunnel’ in a new, larger version with 125 chairs, both highlights and unknown chairs, from floor to ceiling. It tells the story of how Danish furniture draws inspiration from historical types from other countries. The chair tunnel is like a family tree of chair relationships and includes chairs from both Danish and international designers – Hans J. Wegner, Arne Jacobsen, Nanna Ditzel, Cecilie Manz, Charles Eames, Marcel Breuer, and Jasper Morrison.

The museum has created a large, brand-new Danish Modern ‘theater’, a comprehensive scenography that places the various designers in Danish and international design history. Why did Danish Modern break through internationally in 1949? Who were the individuals who shaped Danish Modern? We are presented with the designers’ personal belongings, thoughts, drawings, exhibition, and archive material.