Plans for a Copenhagen LGBTQ+ museum and archive have suffered another setback after a municipal committee voted against funding the project on Thursday, 22 October.
The Conservatives and Social Democrats proposed allocating DKK 2.1 million (approximately €281,000) across 2027 and 2028. The money would have supported an initial study of the museum and efforts to collect and preserve records documenting the city’s LGBTQ+ history.
According to TV 2 Kosmopol and a statement issued by the Conservatives on Friday, the proposal was opposed by the Social Liberal Party (Radikale Venstre), the Socialist People’s Party (Socialistisk Folkeparti), the Red-Green Alliance (Enhedslisten) and the Alternative (Alternativet).
Funding for the Copenhagen LGBTQ+ museum remains uncertain
Copenhagen’s City Council (Borgerrepræsentationen) agreed in June to investigate the possibility of establishing a museum and an accompanying archive. That decision did not approve the museum’s construction or provide the money needed to pursue the plans.
The project subsequently received no funding in the 2027 municipal budget. The latest proposal sought to use funds available to the city’s culture committee instead. The municipality’s plan envisaged assessing possible locations and employing an archivist for 18 months to collect, catalogue and preserve material held by members of the LGBTQ+ community.
Supporters warn that personal histories may be lost
Conservative councillor Casper Øhlers criticised the delay, warning that the diaries, documents and testimonies of older gay, lesbian and transgender residents could be lost as their owners die. Social Democrat Jonas Manthey Olsen also argued that collecting these personal records was urgent. Both were quoted in a joint announcement ahead of the vote.
The project has not been permanently abandoned. Its supporters say they will seek funding again during Copenhagen’s supplementary budget negotiations in March 2027. Until then, the proposed museum and archive remain without the requested financing.
