It was referred to as Den Nye Vestergade ("The New West Street") in 1665 but was long more commonly called Wigandts Gade after wine trader and ship owner Wigand Michelbecker (1636–1692), who owned a property where National Museum is now located.

The recessed main entrance was created by Mogens Clemmensen, Arne Nystrøm and Gehrdt Bornebusch in connection with their expansions of the museum between 1929 and 1938.

The University of Copenhagen acquired the building in 1857 and it was subsequently adapted by Johan Henrik Nebelong in the Neoclassical style (1858).

Nebelong also added a perpendicular rear wing (1859), which housed the university's chemical laboratory.

13 was built in 1793 for inn-keeper Christen Christensen Bording, probably by one of Caspar Frederik Harsdorff's pupils.