Bertel Thorvaldsen (1770-1844) lived over forty years in Rome. As sculptor he can easily withstand comparison with contemporaries like Antonio Canova or François Rude. At his death, he left his city of birth a vast collection of sculptures and paintings. The neo-classical sculptor now rests among this collections in the central court.
The museum itself is a work of art with painted walls and ceilings based on Roman and Etruscan excavations. In these dark chambers, Thorvaldsens white marble sculptures standout in a way they were intended. In the basement, one can see the drawing skills of the museum architect M.G.Bindesbøll.