Kossmann.dejong has designed the permanent display for the Danish National Maritime Museum in Helsingør. The new building, designed by the Danish architectural office BIG, is built around a former dry dock. The museum and the exhibition spaces are all underground to safeguard views on the UNESCO-listed World Heritage Kronburg Castle.
Denmark’s infamous maritime history is being told in a dynamic way via themes such as ship, harbour, fleet, war, trade and globalisation. The metaphor that underpins the multimedia exhibition is that of a journey, which starts with an imagining of the universal yearning to discover far away shores and experience adventures at sea. A lighthouse projects dreamy images of shipping as depicted in art and culture. Portholes that have been transformed into showcases present the image of seamen as it has been shaped through the ages. Books, advertising, fashion and objects such as Lego pirate toys and Popeye the Sailor Man, show how colourful the perception of sailors has been over time.