Greenland - Museum of Danish America
Source: https://www.danishmuseum.org/exhibition/greenland-2
Archived: 2026-04-23 17:10
Greenland - Museum of Danish America
Skip to content
Exhibition
Greenland
Greenland, also called Kalaallit Nunaat, is the largest island in the world, though 80% of the island is covered in ice year-round, leaving only the coasts inhabitable. On these coasts, which teem with wildlife, a vibrant culture has emerged. Greenland is officially part of the Kingdom of Denmark, but it is governed by its own Parliament and has some degree of independence. For centuries the island has faced constant pressure, as climate change, political dealings, and global technology affect the edge of the Arctic.
At a glance…
• Greenland is an autonomous territory within the Kingdom of Denmark with its own language, culture, and traditions.
• Greenland’s status as a part of the Kingdom of Denmark is internationally recognized.
• Fishing and ecotourism are Greenland’s largest industries.
• Greenlanders generally wish to be independent, as long as it does not impact their quality of life.
• The U.S. first considered purchasing Greenland in 1868.
• Denmark and Greenland are close and reliable U.S. allies, grounded in 225 years of partnership and a commitment to collective security.
• Since 1951, the U.S. has had the option to expand military bases in Greenland for NATO defense. This option remains in place today.
Timeline
Greenland & Denmark
Greenland is an autonomous territory within the Kingdom of Denmark, but it wasn’t always so…
History
Greenland, known to its indigenous inhabitants as Kalaallit Nunaat, has been home to indigenous peoples for thousands of years, with successive cultures, including the Saqqaq, Dorset, and Thule peoples, adapting to the Arctic environment. The Thule people, ancestors of today’s Inuit population, migrated to Kalaallit Nunaat around the 12th century and established the foundations of Inuit society that continue to this day. Their intimate understanding of the environment profoundly shaped Greenland’s social structures and cultural practices.
Norse settlement began in the late 10th century, with Erik the Red established farming communities along Greenland’s southern coast. These settlements became part of the wider Norse world and were gradually integrated into European Christian institutions, most notably with the establishment of the diocese of Garðar in 1124. Over time, Greenland came under the authority of the Danish crown with Danish monarchs asserting sovereignty in 1397. By the 1400s, however, Norse settlements were abandoned, leaving Inuit communities as the island’s primary inhabitants.
Colonialism
Denmark long portrayed its presence in Greenland as benevolent, yet its colonial rule was marked by strict trade monopolies and policies that constrained Indigenous economic and cultural life well into the 20th century. Danish control over fishing, whaling, and commerce limited Kalaallit self-determination and reinforced dependence on colonial systems. This dynamic shifted during World War II, when Denmark’s occupation by Nazi Germany led the United States to assume military control of Greenland. The American presence exposed stark inequalities in living conditions for the Kalaallit while also introducing U.S. military infrastructure and consumer culture to the island.
In the postwar period, Denmark pursued a policy of decolonization through integration, incorporating Kalaallit Nunaat into the Danish nation-state in 1953. Extensive modernization reforms followed, reshaping education, housing, infrastructure, and urban development. While these initiatives improved access to services, they were accompanied by aggressive assimilation efforts. During this period, the Danish government conducted a social experiment in which Inuit children were removed from their families and placed with Danish foster homes in an attempt to sever cultural ties and accelerate assimilation.
The Cold War intensified foreign and Danish intervention in Greenland, often without local consent. The expansion of Thule Air Base led to the forced relocation of more than 100 Inuit residents in the Uummannaq district, a displacement that later prompted legal challenges and demands for restitution. Despite Denmark’s official ban on nuclear weapons, the United States secretly stored nuclear arms in Greenland and constructed Camp Century, a military project disguised as scientific research. The 1968 crash of a U.S. bomber carrying four hydrogen bombs exposed radioactive contamination and revealed longstanding violations of Denmark’s nuclear-free policy.
Modernization policies also extended into areas of personal autonomy and privacy. Between the 1960s and 1970s, Danish health authorities inserted contraceptive devices into thousands of Greenlandic women and girls, often without their consent, as a means of exercising control over population growth. These actions, now widely acknowledged as systematic discrimination, contributed to growing resistance among Greenlanders. Persistent activism led to the establishment of Home Rule in 1979, granting Greenland its own parliament and authority over internal affairs, though Denmark retained control over foreign policy and resources.
While modernization benefited Greenland in many ways, it also triggered widespread migration to urban centers like Nuuk and drove indigenous cultural traditions to the brink of extinction. In response, Greenlanders increasingly asserted political and cultural sovereignty. A 2008 referendum expanded self-governance and affirmed the democratic right to pursue full independence, marking a continued reckoning with Denmark’s colonial legacy and an ongoing effort to define Greenland’s future on its own terms.
Current Relations
Greenland and Denmark share a complex and evolving relationship. Denmark provides significant financial support and maintains oversight in certain areas, while Greenland exercises self-rule over many domestic affairs. The two also cooperate closely on Arctic security, reflecting Greenland’s strategic importance, though historical colonial legacies and recent geopolitical developments, particularly with the U.S., continue to influence this relationship.
Despite these ties, Greenland maintains a distinct identity and actively pursues greater autonomy. Greenlanders have their own parliament, political institutions, and education system, and they continue to speak and preserve their language. This combination of self-governance and cultural continuity makes Greenland unique among Indigenous peoples worldwide.
Denmark functions as a partner and framework through which Greenland exercises self-determination. As part of the Kingdom of Denmark, Greenland’s status is internationally recognized, yet ongoing discussions about sovereignty and the future of Greenlandic independence remain central to political life on the island.
Greenland’s Prime Minister, Jens-Frederik Nielsen, and Denmark’s Prime Minister, Mette Frederiksen.
Helene Thiesen with other children at a Danish Red Cross-run orphanage in Greenland.
Queen Margrethe II visiting Nuuk in 2015.
Greenland & the U.S.
The U.S. discussed purchasing Greenland as early as 1867. What’s happened since then?
History
The United States has been interested in Greenland for many years. The United States purchased Alaska in 1867, and in the same year, discussed a proposal to purchase Greenland and Iceland from Denmark. The initial survey emphasized Greenland’s natural resources, disregarding indigenous inhabitants in favor of exploration. These plans never progressed, and in 1917, when the U.S. acquired the Virgin Islands from Denmark, they enshrined Denmark’s ownership of Greenland.
Greenland continued to be valuable to American interests. Arctic explorers regularly landed on Greenland’s coasts, and in some cases brought Greenlanders to the U.S. In World War II, the U.S. Navy and Coast Guard occupied the island, using it as a staging ground for operations against the Nazis. After the war, another attempt to purchase Greenland from Denmark failed. Instead, the U.S. established the Thule Air Base—now the Pituffik Space Base—in extreme northwestern Greenland.
The United States has long been interested in Greenland, both for its strategic location and its natural resources. In 1867, the U.S. purchased Alaska and simultaneously explored a proposal to buy Greenland and Iceland from Denmark. Early surveys focused on the island’s resources while largely ignoring the presence and rights of its Indigenous inhabitants. These plans never materialized, and in 1917, when the U.S. purchased the Virgin Islands from Denmark, it formally recognized Danish sovereignty over Greenland. Arctic explorers continued to visit Greenland’s coasts, sometimes bringing Greenlanders to the United States, reflecting early scientific and strategic interest.
Greenland’s strategic importance became especially evident during World War II. With Denmark under Nazi occupation, the United States established a naval and Coast Guard presence on the island, using Greenland as a key base for operations in the North Atlantic. After the war, the U.S. again attempted to purchase Greenland, but Denmark refused. Instead, the United States maintained a long-term military presence by establishing Thule Air Base, now known as Pituffik Space Base, in extreme northwestern Greenland, further cementing the island’s role in American Arctic defense and early Cold War planning.
The abandoned U.S. military base Bluie East II in 2015.
Gift of Ken Bower, 2017.037.004.
During the Cold War, Greenland’s strategic role expanded. Thule Air Base was developed into a major U.S. military facility, while Camp Century, an underground base beneath the ice sheet, tested nuclear missile deployment. These projects often occurred without Greenlandic consent and included forced relocations of Inuit communities near Thule. In 1968, the crash of a U.S. bomber carrying hydrogen bombs near Thule revealed radioactive contamination and violated Denmark’s nuclear-free policy, highlighting tensions between Greenlandic safety, Danish oversight, and American strategic interests.
Current Relations
Today, relations among the United States, Greenland, and Denmark are shaped by a complex balance of cooperation, sovereignty, and geopolitical tension. Greenland maintains its own parliament, political institutions, and official language, exercising broad authority over domestic affairs while remaining part of the Kingdom of Denmark, which retains responsibility for foreign policy and defense. Within this framework, Greenland negotiates its position between Danish oversight and growing American strategic and economic interests in the Arctic.
The United States continues to operate Pituffik Space Base with Danish approval and in consultation with Greenlandic authorities, reflecting an expanded focus on space domain awareness, missile warning, and Arctic security. At the same time, U.S. engagement has widened to include scientific research, climate monitoring, infrastructure investment, and discussions around critical minerals, developments driven in part by accelerating climate change and increased global competition in the Arctic.
During President Donald Trump’s second term, he has repeatedly asserted that U.S. ownership of Greenland is “essential” to American national security, heightening diplomatic strain. In response to shifting security expectations, Denmark has increased its defense spending, and Greenland’s national elections in March 2025 reflected public caution toward rapid independence, as concerns grew over potential American pressure and regional instability.
In early 2026, President Trump renewed his goal of bringing Greenland under U.S. control. On January 14, Vice President Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio meet with Danish Foreign Minister Lars Løkke Rasmussen and Greenlandic Foreign Minister Vivian Motzfeldt to address escalating concerns and maintain diplomatic dialogue. As tensions grow, seven NATO allies deploy troops to Greenland for joint military exercises, and public expressions of support from European Union leaders for Danish and Greenlandic sovereignty draw threats of tariffs from the White House, underscoring how Arctic security issues increasingly intersect with broader transatlantic relations.
Despite the heightened rhetoric, public opinion in the United States remained strongly opposed to military coercion. These recent developments underscore Greenland’s growing significance as a strategic location and site of military cooperation and as a political actor navigating autonomy, alliance pressures, and renewed interest in the Arctic.
An aerial view of Thule Air Base.
The Thule Air Base Honor Guard prepares for the arrival of Her Majesty Queen Margrethe II of Denmark at Thule Air Base, Greenland, Oct 11, 2021.
Four “golf ball” protective covers at Thule Air Base, Greenland.
Contemporary Greenland
What is Greenland like today, and how does it navigate its place amid these competing pressures?
Modern Greenland
Modern Greenland is a country in transition. The modernization projects of the 20th century caused mass exodus to the cities, which are now centers of an ongoing indigenous revival.
Almost 90% of Greenland’s population is of Inuit descent, while about 7% is of Danish descent, meaning Inuit traditions continue to play an important role in Greenlandic society. Kayaks and dog sleds are still used for transport, especially outside of the major cities.
Tattooing has gained significant traction over the past decade among Kalaallit Inuit, both in Greenland and among diaspora communities in Denmark. Based on historical evidence for tattooing as early as the 1400s, the patterns connect young people to their land and their past on Kalaallit Nunaat. Ullukinneq, the indigenous winter solstice celebration, has also been revived in recent years and is enjoyed by many Kalaallit.
Fishing is the dominant industry on the island, and it is still common to see kayaks alongside modern fishing trawlers. Climate change has reduced fish harvests, though, and traditional hunting practices remain precarious.
Tourism is the second largest industry on the island. Over 100,000 tourists, many of them Americans, visit the island each year. Most tourists visit the island for its stunning natural vistas and pristine seascapes. However, visitors can harm those same vistas by polluting, trampling vegetation, and increasing boat noise, putting delicate environments at risk.
Kalaallit Nunaat’s future promises both hope and uncertainty. The island’s melting glaciers contribute to rising sea levels, and changes to the oceans have led to the collapse of industrial fishing. However, ecotourism and activism have brought attention to the importance of conserving the local environment.
At the same time, the ongoing indigenous revival movement on Kalaallit Nunaat has accelerated alongside a global reckoning with inequality. The Kalaallit overwhelmingly support independence from Denmark if it will not hurt their quality of life. While many logistical and cultural challenges remain, Greenlanders largely wish for self-determination to protect and preserve their own cultural traditions and meet the challenges of our connected world.
Fishing is Greenland’s dominant industry.
Modernization projects of the 20th century caused mass exodus to cities.
Tattoos have grown in popularity among Kalaallit Inuit as a way to reclaim cultural heritage and identity.
Skip to content
Exhibition
Greenland
Greenland, also called Kalaallit Nunaat, is the largest island in the world, though 80% of the island is covered in ice year-round, leaving only the coasts inhabitable. On these coasts, which teem with wildlife, a vibrant culture has emerged. Greenland is officially part of the Kingdom of Denmark, but it is governed by its own Parliament and has some degree of independence. For centuries the island has faced constant pressure, as climate change, political dealings, and global technology affect the edge of the Arctic.
At a glance…
• Greenland is an autonomous territory within the Kingdom of Denmark with its own language, culture, and traditions.
• Greenland’s status as a part of the Kingdom of Denmark is internationally recognized.
• Fishing and ecotourism are Greenland’s largest industries.
• Greenlanders generally wish to be independent, as long as it does not impact their quality of life.
• The U.S. first considered purchasing Greenland in 1868.
• Denmark and Greenland are close and reliable U.S. allies, grounded in 225 years of partnership and a commitment to collective security.
• Since 1951, the U.S. has had the option to expand military bases in Greenland for NATO defense. This option remains in place today.
Timeline
Greenland & Denmark
Greenland is an autonomous territory within the Kingdom of Denmark, but it wasn’t always so…
History
Greenland, known to its indigenous inhabitants as Kalaallit Nunaat, has been home to indigenous peoples for thousands of years, with successive cultures, including the Saqqaq, Dorset, and Thule peoples, adapting to the Arctic environment. The Thule people, ancestors of today’s Inuit population, migrated to Kalaallit Nunaat around the 12th century and established the foundations of Inuit society that continue to this day. Their intimate understanding of the environment profoundly shaped Greenland’s social structures and cultural practices.
Norse settlement began in the late 10th century, with Erik the Red established farming communities along Greenland’s southern coast. These settlements became part of the wider Norse world and were gradually integrated into European Christian institutions, most notably with the establishment of the diocese of Garðar in 1124. Over time, Greenland came under the authority of the Danish crown with Danish monarchs asserting sovereignty in 1397. By the 1400s, however, Norse settlements were abandoned, leaving Inuit communities as the island’s primary inhabitants.
Colonialism
Denmark long portrayed its presence in Greenland as benevolent, yet its colonial rule was marked by strict trade monopolies and policies that constrained Indigenous economic and cultural life well into the 20th century. Danish control over fishing, whaling, and commerce limited Kalaallit self-determination and reinforced dependence on colonial systems. This dynamic shifted during World War II, when Denmark’s occupation by Nazi Germany led the United States to assume military control of Greenland. The American presence exposed stark inequalities in living conditions for the Kalaallit while also introducing U.S. military infrastructure and consumer culture to the island.
In the postwar period, Denmark pursued a policy of decolonization through integration, incorporating Kalaallit Nunaat into the Danish nation-state in 1953. Extensive modernization reforms followed, reshaping education, housing, infrastructure, and urban development. While these initiatives improved access to services, they were accompanied by aggressive assimilation efforts. During this period, the Danish government conducted a social experiment in which Inuit children were removed from their families and placed with Danish foster homes in an attempt to sever cultural ties and accelerate assimilation.
The Cold War intensified foreign and Danish intervention in Greenland, often without local consent. The expansion of Thule Air Base led to the forced relocation of more than 100 Inuit residents in the Uummannaq district, a displacement that later prompted legal challenges and demands for restitution. Despite Denmark’s official ban on nuclear weapons, the United States secretly stored nuclear arms in Greenland and constructed Camp Century, a military project disguised as scientific research. The 1968 crash of a U.S. bomber carrying four hydrogen bombs exposed radioactive contamination and revealed longstanding violations of Denmark’s nuclear-free policy.
Modernization policies also extended into areas of personal autonomy and privacy. Between the 1960s and 1970s, Danish health authorities inserted contraceptive devices into thousands of Greenlandic women and girls, often without their consent, as a means of exercising control over population growth. These actions, now widely acknowledged as systematic discrimination, contributed to growing resistance among Greenlanders. Persistent activism led to the establishment of Home Rule in 1979, granting Greenland its own parliament and authority over internal affairs, though Denmark retained control over foreign policy and resources.
While modernization benefited Greenland in many ways, it also triggered widespread migration to urban centers like Nuuk and drove indigenous cultural traditions to the brink of extinction. In response, Greenlanders increasingly asserted political and cultural sovereignty. A 2008 referendum expanded self-governance and affirmed the democratic right to pursue full independence, marking a continued reckoning with Denmark’s colonial legacy and an ongoing effort to define Greenland’s future on its own terms.
Current Relations
Greenland and Denmark share a complex and evolving relationship. Denmark provides significant financial support and maintains oversight in certain areas, while Greenland exercises self-rule over many domestic affairs. The two also cooperate closely on Arctic security, reflecting Greenland’s strategic importance, though historical colonial legacies and recent geopolitical developments, particularly with the U.S., continue to influence this relationship.
Despite these ties, Greenland maintains a distinct identity and actively pursues greater autonomy. Greenlanders have their own parliament, political institutions, and education system, and they continue to speak and preserve their language. This combination of self-governance and cultural continuity makes Greenland unique among Indigenous peoples worldwide.
Denmark functions as a partner and framework through which Greenland exercises self-determination. As part of the Kingdom of Denmark, Greenland’s status is internationally recognized, yet ongoing discussions about sovereignty and the future of Greenlandic independence remain central to political life on the island.
Greenland’s Prime Minister, Jens-Frederik Nielsen, and Denmark’s Prime Minister, Mette Frederiksen.
Helene Thiesen with other children at a Danish Red Cross-run orphanage in Greenland.
Queen Margrethe II visiting Nuuk in 2015.
Greenland & the U.S.
The U.S. discussed purchasing Greenland as early as 1867. What’s happened since then?
History
The United States has been interested in Greenland for many years. The United States purchased Alaska in 1867, and in the same year, discussed a proposal to purchase Greenland and Iceland from Denmark. The initial survey emphasized Greenland’s natural resources, disregarding indigenous inhabitants in favor of exploration. These plans never progressed, and in 1917, when the U.S. acquired the Virgin Islands from Denmark, they enshrined Denmark’s ownership of Greenland.
Greenland continued to be valuable to American interests. Arctic explorers regularly landed on Greenland’s coasts, and in some cases brought Greenlanders to the U.S. In World War II, the U.S. Navy and Coast Guard occupied the island, using it as a staging ground for operations against the Nazis. After the war, another attempt to purchase Greenland from Denmark failed. Instead, the U.S. established the Thule Air Base—now the Pituffik Space Base—in extreme northwestern Greenland.
The United States has long been interested in Greenland, both for its strategic location and its natural resources. In 1867, the U.S. purchased Alaska and simultaneously explored a proposal to buy Greenland and Iceland from Denmark. Early surveys focused on the island’s resources while largely ignoring the presence and rights of its Indigenous inhabitants. These plans never materialized, and in 1917, when the U.S. purchased the Virgin Islands from Denmark, it formally recognized Danish sovereignty over Greenland. Arctic explorers continued to visit Greenland’s coasts, sometimes bringing Greenlanders to the United States, reflecting early scientific and strategic interest.
Greenland’s strategic importance became especially evident during World War II. With Denmark under Nazi occupation, the United States established a naval and Coast Guard presence on the island, using Greenland as a key base for operations in the North Atlantic. After the war, the U.S. again attempted to purchase Greenland, but Denmark refused. Instead, the United States maintained a long-term military presence by establishing Thule Air Base, now known as Pituffik Space Base, in extreme northwestern Greenland, further cementing the island’s role in American Arctic defense and early Cold War planning.
The abandoned U.S. military base Bluie East II in 2015.
Gift of Ken Bower, 2017.037.004.
During the Cold War, Greenland’s strategic role expanded. Thule Air Base was developed into a major U.S. military facility, while Camp Century, an underground base beneath the ice sheet, tested nuclear missile deployment. These projects often occurred without Greenlandic consent and included forced relocations of Inuit communities near Thule. In 1968, the crash of a U.S. bomber carrying hydrogen bombs near Thule revealed radioactive contamination and violated Denmark’s nuclear-free policy, highlighting tensions between Greenlandic safety, Danish oversight, and American strategic interests.
Current Relations
Today, relations among the United States, Greenland, and Denmark are shaped by a complex balance of cooperation, sovereignty, and geopolitical tension. Greenland maintains its own parliament, political institutions, and official language, exercising broad authority over domestic affairs while remaining part of the Kingdom of Denmark, which retains responsibility for foreign policy and defense. Within this framework, Greenland negotiates its position between Danish oversight and growing American strategic and economic interests in the Arctic.
The United States continues to operate Pituffik Space Base with Danish approval and in consultation with Greenlandic authorities, reflecting an expanded focus on space domain awareness, missile warning, and Arctic security. At the same time, U.S. engagement has widened to include scientific research, climate monitoring, infrastructure investment, and discussions around critical minerals, developments driven in part by accelerating climate change and increased global competition in the Arctic.
During President Donald Trump’s second term, he has repeatedly asserted that U.S. ownership of Greenland is “essential” to American national security, heightening diplomatic strain. In response to shifting security expectations, Denmark has increased its defense spending, and Greenland’s national elections in March 2025 reflected public caution toward rapid independence, as concerns grew over potential American pressure and regional instability.
In early 2026, President Trump renewed his goal of bringing Greenland under U.S. control. On January 14, Vice President Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio meet with Danish Foreign Minister Lars Løkke Rasmussen and Greenlandic Foreign Minister Vivian Motzfeldt to address escalating concerns and maintain diplomatic dialogue. As tensions grow, seven NATO allies deploy troops to Greenland for joint military exercises, and public expressions of support from European Union leaders for Danish and Greenlandic sovereignty draw threats of tariffs from the White House, underscoring how Arctic security issues increasingly intersect with broader transatlantic relations.
Despite the heightened rhetoric, public opinion in the United States remained strongly opposed to military coercion. These recent developments underscore Greenland’s growing significance as a strategic location and site of military cooperation and as a political actor navigating autonomy, alliance pressures, and renewed interest in the Arctic.
An aerial view of Thule Air Base.
The Thule Air Base Honor Guard prepares for the arrival of Her Majesty Queen Margrethe II of Denmark at Thule Air Base, Greenland, Oct 11, 2021.
Four “golf ball” protective covers at Thule Air Base, Greenland.
Contemporary Greenland
What is Greenland like today, and how does it navigate its place amid these competing pressures?
Modern Greenland
Modern Greenland is a country in transition. The modernization projects of the 20th century caused mass exodus to the cities, which are now centers of an ongoing indigenous revival.
Almost 90% of Greenland’s population is of Inuit descent, while about 7% is of Danish descent, meaning Inuit traditions continue to play an important role in Greenlandic society. Kayaks and dog sleds are still used for transport, especially outside of the major cities.
Tattooing has gained significant traction over the past decade among Kalaallit Inuit, both in Greenland and among diaspora communities in Denmark. Based on historical evidence for tattooing as early as the 1400s, the patterns connect young people to their land and their past on Kalaallit Nunaat. Ullukinneq, the indigenous winter solstice celebration, has also been revived in recent years and is enjoyed by many Kalaallit.
Fishing is the dominant industry on the island, and it is still common to see kayaks alongside modern fishing trawlers. Climate change has reduced fish harvests, though, and traditional hunting practices remain precarious.
Tourism is the second largest industry on the island. Over 100,000 tourists, many of them Americans, visit the island each year. Most tourists visit the island for its stunning natural vistas and pristine seascapes. However, visitors can harm those same vistas by polluting, trampling vegetation, and increasing boat noise, putting delicate environments at risk.
Kalaallit Nunaat’s future promises both hope and uncertainty. The island’s melting glaciers contribute to rising sea levels, and changes to the oceans have led to the collapse of industrial fishing. However, ecotourism and activism have brought attention to the importance of conserving the local environment.
At the same time, the ongoing indigenous revival movement on Kalaallit Nunaat has accelerated alongside a global reckoning with inequality. The Kalaallit overwhelmingly support independence from Denmark if it will not hurt their quality of life. While many logistical and cultural challenges remain, Greenlanders largely wish for self-determination to protect and preserve their own cultural traditions and meet the challenges of our connected world.
Fishing is Greenland’s dominant industry.
Modernization projects of the 20th century caused mass exodus to cities.
Tattoos have grown in popularity among Kalaallit Inuit as a way to reclaim cultural heritage and identity.