The Royal Danish Academy was established on 13 November 1742, and was created with the purpose of strengthening the position of Science in Denmark as well as promoting interdisciplinary understanding.

The Royal Danish Academy works as a body of cooperation and a meeting place for prominent scientists from all areas of basic scientific research.

The Royal Danish Academy also administers several foundations and grants that provide financial support for different scientific work, e.g. research stays outside of Denmark.

Between 1761 and 1843, The Royal Danish Academy undertook a geographical and trigonometrical measuring of Denmark and Schleswig-Holstein that resulted in no less than 24 published maps.

Throughout the years, part of the Royal Danish Academy's work has also consisted in making out prize essays and awarding medals (silver and gold) to scientists based on their solutions.

From 1855 to 1899, the meetings of the Royal Danish Academy were held at Prinsens Palais (today the National Museum of Denmark, “Nationalmuseet”).

The members of the Royal Academy count several great and prominent scientists’ names, nationally as well as internationally speaking, including Albert Einstein, Charles Darwin, Niels Bohr, H.C. Ørsted and August Krogh.