• Monarch – Frederick VII^[1]
• Prime minister – Carl Christoffer Georg Andræ (until 13 May), Carl Christian Hall

• March – The first annual Charlottenborg Spring Exhibition opens.
• 30 June – Hassel & Teudt is founded in Copenhagen.^[2]
• 17 September – The Folketeatret opens in Copenhagen.

Undated edit

• Svanemøllen is constructed on the island of Bornholm.
• A new main building at Vibygård is constructed.
• Axel E. Aamodts Lithografiske Etablissement is founded.
• Christiani & Grisson is acquired by Wilhelm Hansen.

January–March edit

• 3 February – Wilhelm Johannsen, pharmacist and botanist (died 1927)

April–June edit

• 7 April – H. A. Brendekilde, sculptor (died 1942)

July–September edit

• 24 July – Henrik Pontoppidan, Nobel Prize-winning writer (died 1943)

October–December edit

• 7 December – Hans-Georg Tersling, architect (died 1920)
• 9 December – Alba Schwartz, writer and novelist (died 1942)

• 23 June – Christian Molbech, historian and editor (born 1783)^{[citation needed]}