The Carlsberg Foundation celebrated 150th anniversary with a tribute to basic research and the unveiling of a new royal portrait

Photo: Barsk

Published:

25.09.2026

With the participation of Their Majesties The King and The Queen and a wide range of representatives from the Danish research, cultural and business communities, the Carlsberg Foundation celebrated 150th anniversary this evening in the Great Hall at Frederiksborg Castle. The evening included the unveiling of a new portrait of H.M. The King and a celebration of the Carlsberg Foundation’s new ‘Interdisciplinary Research Centres’. See the new portrait of The King and explore the themes of the new research centres here.

On 25 September 1876 – exactly 150 years ago today – brewer J.C. Jacobsen established the Carlsberg Foundation.

The historic milestone was marked this evening with a celebration in the Great Hall at Frederiksborg Castle. It was here that J.C. Jacobsen founded the Museum of National History in 1878, after donating DKK 200,000 towards the restoration of the King’s Wing following the fire of 1859. Today, the Museum is a department of the Carlsberg Foundation.

The celebration was attended by Their Majesties The King and The Queen, as well as the Minister for Science, Higher Education and Digital Affairs Christina Egelund and representatives from Denmark’s research, cultural and business communities.

Unveiling of H.M. The King’s portrait and celebration of the Carlsberg Foundation’s 150th anniversary research centres

The evening included H.M. The King unveiling his new portrait, ‘King Frederik 10.’, painted by Danish artist Cathrine Raben Davidsen. The portrait, which is the first official painted portrait of The King since his accession to the throne, will become part of Frederiksborg’s collection of portraits of the Glücksburg royal dynasty. The portrait will be on display to visitors at Frederiksborg from Monday, 28 September 2026.

As part of the anniversary celebrations, a tribute was also paid to basic research by celebrating the three new ‘Carlsberg Foundation Interdisciplinary Research Centres’, which are designed to strengthen research across the natural sciences, humanities and social sciences.

The Carlsberg Foundation is awarding an extraordinary DKK 150 million to the centres, which over the next six years will explore the significance of quantum technology for people and society, human thinking and agency in a future shaped by AI, and how landscapes affect ecosystems and how they are managed.

Background: 150 years of science for Denmark and the Danish foundation model

This year marks exactly a century and a half since brewer J.C. Jacobsen established the Carlsberg Foundation through his Charter and Deed of Gift, dated 25 September 1876.

Throughout 2026, we are celebrating both independent basic research and the Danish foundation model, which was created – and went on to gain international recognition – with the establishment of the Carlsberg Foundation, the world’s first enterprise foundation.

J.C. Jacobsen himself placed great value on the flourishing science of his time. By establishing the Carlsberg Foundation, he sought to ensure that a share of the profits from his Carlsberg brewery could be returned to Danish society as grants for scientific purposes for generations to come. In his own words, the Carlsberg Foundation was to work “for the benefit of science and for the honour of Denmark”.

For 150 years, we have taken pride in doing precisely that: supporting Danish science for the benefit of Denmark. We also safeguard the Danish foundation model, which continues to play a central role in Danish society through the distinctive characteristics of foundation-owned companies: long-term ownership and the mutually reinforcing interplay between commercial and philanthropic purposes.

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