Anne-Louise Sommer, born in 1961 in Tårnby, Copenhagen, is a distinguished Danish design researcher, author, and museum director. She studied literature at the University of Copenhagen, earning a Master of Arts degree in 1987, but her career has primarily focused on design and architectural history.

In 2004, she became an associate professor at the Danish Design School, later serving as rector from 2009. Since 2011, she has been the director of Designmuseum Danmark, where she has significantly increased visitor numbers and established the museum as an internationally recognised institution under the strategy “Design must be shared.”

Beyond her work at the museum, she has held an adjunct professorship in Design Culture and Design History at the University of Southern Denmark since 2012. She has authored numerous books and articles on architecture, design, and cultural history, including works on Kaare Klint, Danish architecture, and the watercolours of Finn Juhl.

In 2025, she was appointed to the board of the New Carlsberg Foundation, further cementing her influence in the fields of design and architecture. Throughout her career, she has championed the importance of design in everyday life, making significant contributions to both academia and the museum world.

In this episode of the Pearl Lam Podcast, Anne-Lousie and  Pearl Lam discuss the intersection of design, history, and culture and how museums shape public understanding of creativity. From Anne-Louise Sommer’s tenure at the Danish Design School to her influence on contemporary design discourse, she shares insights on the evolving landscape of design education and curation.

Visit Anne-Lousie Sommer’s  LinkedIn.