The listed building housed the Royal Danish Naval Museum indtil 2016.

[1] The name Kvæsthus was introduced with the inauguration of a new building for the institution at present day Sankt Annæ Plads in 1685.

The institution was later split into a Søkvæsthus for the Navy which remained in the old building and a Landkvæsthus for the Army, which took over Københavns Ladegård, a former farm under Copenhagen Castle.

It was frequented by many of the leading writers, politicians, priests and other cultural figures of the day.

Johan Ludvig Heiberg's mother, Thomasine Gyllembourg who was also a writer, also lived in the house from 1844 until her death.