For builders and planners

The Museum of Copenhagen is responsible for archaeology in Copenhagen and Frederiksberg municipalities

The museum is present at hearings concerning local planning and municipal planning. Here the museum assesses the current development in the municipalities and assesses the possibility that ancient monuments will be affected.

All builders can contact the museum and ask the museum to give a statement about the possibility of the presence of ancient monuments on a piece of land. The museum bases its statement on an archival control of the area in question.

The museum can then recommend that a survey of the area is done. This is optional for the builder. The advantage for the builder is that the presence of ancient monuments is detected and that the risk of needing to stop working due to unexpected archaeological remains is lessened.

All in all an early dialogue between the builder and the museum is an advantage. The builder finds out whether archaeological surveys are necessary and can choose either to change plans to avoid the ancient monuments or to ask the museum to launch archaeological surveys. This should be done well before the beginning of the building work, in order not to delay this. In that way, archaeological remains are investigated and the builder's project can finish on time.

For more information on excavations and archaeology in Copenhagen and Frederiksberg municipalities, write to kulturarv@kk.dk or call:

Jane Jark Clausen: +45 26 88 07 74 (head of archaeological administration)

Gunvor Christiansen: +45 20 37 83 19 (head of excavations and collections)

More about archaeology and building projects

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Plan ahead

Archaeological excavations take time and planning ahead is always recommended. 

An early dialoque between the planners and builders and the Museum is an advantage. The builders and planners can find out if archaeological investigations need to be carried out in the area in question. If so they can either change the project to avoid archaeological excavation - or ask the museum to start excavating the area. This need to be done well before the start of the actual building project to avoid delays. 

Please contact the museum as early as possible in the planning phase of the building project, so we can help with advice and guidance. 

Write to kulturarv@kk.dk or call:

Jane Jark Clausen: +45 26 88 07 74 (head of archaeological administration)

Gunvor Christiansen: +45 20 37 83 19 (head of excavations and collections)