New director for the Museum of National History at Frederiksborg

The Museum of National History at Frederiksborg is getting a new director. Ulla Tofte, currently CEO of the M/S Maritime Museum of Denmark in Elsinore, will be in charge of maintaining and developing the cultural heritage that the Museum of National History displays and relates at Frederiksborg Castle in Hillerød.

With the appointment of Ulla Tofte, the museum is getting a visionary and experienced director with a strong academic base in 17th, 18th and 19th century history, art and architecture. Ulla Tofte also has a wealth of experience of museum and organisational development, and she is a well-known face on the Danish cultural scene. In the role of director, Ulla Tofte is succeeding Mette Skougaard, who retired in spring 2022.

“I’ve always been passionate about bringing history, art and architecture to far more people,” says Ulla Tofte. “The Museum of National History should be a natural first choice for everyone who has an interest in who we are, what has shaped us, and how we’re developing, both as individuals and as a country, in interaction with the rest of the world.

“Together with the employees, I’m looking forward to showcasing the museum’s fantastic collections in exhibitions and research & dissemination projects where we also provide space for new voices and perspectives,” continues Ulla Tofte. “The Museum of National History should be a place for reflection about our own identity – an historical backcloth against which all modern people can define themselves.”

Cabinet Secretary Henning Fode, Chairman of the Board of the Museum of National History, welcomes Ulla Tofte to Frederiksborg:

“For many years, the Museum of National History has been undergoing huge developments. The museum is a pearl of the Danish museum world and the hub for research and dissemination of the past 500 years of Danish history. This demands that we continue and further develop the museum’s place in the Danish consciousness. Throughout her career, Ulla Tofte has demonstrated outstanding abilities in these areas, and I’m hugely satisfied to be able to warmly welcome Ulla Tofte as the person to head up the ongoing work of the Museum of National History.”

About Ulla Tofte

Ulla Tofte is 53 years old. Since 2015, she has been CEO of the M/S Maritime Museum of Denmark. From 2010 to 2015, she was director of the Golden Days commercial foundation, where from 2003 to 2008 she was also Festival Manager. Ulla Tofte has also been a teaching assistant at the Technical University of Denmark (DTU) and worked as a project manager for cultural promotion at the Danish Ministry of Culture. In 2019, she was nominated for a Leader of the Year award by Lederne, a Danish professional body for leaders and managers.

Ulla Tofte holds a large number of honorary positions. Among other things, she is chair of the Tourism and Experience Committee at the Danish Chamber of Commerce, where she is also a board member, a board member of the Danish Architecture Centre and deputy chair of VisitDenmark. Ulla Tofte also reviews historical non-fiction books for daily newspaper Politiken.

Ulla Tofte has an MA in history and French from the University of Copenhagen.

About the Museum of National History at Frederiksborg

The Museum of National History relates more than 500 years of Danish history through portraits, historic paintings and decorative art. The museum is Denmark’s national portrait gallery and puts faces to the names that have shaped the country’s history. Through varying special exhibitions, the museum also provides current perspectives on Danish history and portraiture. The museum is located at Frederiksborg Castle, where the magnificent halls and richly decorated rooms provide a unique setting for the telling of Denmark’s history. The museum was founded in 1878 by Brewer J.C. Jacobsen, the founder of Carlsberg, and is run today as an independent department of the Carlsberg Foundation.

About the Carlsberg Foundation

The Carlsberg Foundation is one of Denmark’s oldest enterprise foundations, founded by Brewer J.C. Jacobsen in 1876. The main objective of the foundation is to support basic scientific research within the natural sciences, the humanities and the social sciences. The funds for the foundation’s awards come primarily from the profits of the Carlsberg A/S brewery, in which the Carlsberg Foundation has a controlling shareholding.

Contact and further information:

The Museum of National History: Communications Officer Sara Juel Andersen.

Mail: sja@dnm.dk. A press photo of Ulla Tofte can be found at www.dnm.dk/presse.