A lively museum

The Old Town is filled with experiences from three eras: the 1800s, 1920s and 1970s. You can see how people decorated their homes in half-timbered houses and how craftsmen workshops looked. You can also shop in a grocery store from that time. Discover the difference between high and low when you open the door to the bourgeois Møntmestergård and the poor house in Lille Rosengården. During the summer in the play area, children can try swings, the carousel or bowling alley or practice how to walk on stilts.

From Easter to New Year the Old Town is populated by actors who make the story come to life. For example, visit servant girls and farmhands, a housewife and a pastor's widow and her daughter. All are dressed in exact replicas of historical costumes.

In the 1927 neighbourhood, the street scene changes with street lights, telephone wires, petrol pumps and wall advertising. You can shop at the ironmonger and the bookstore. It is also in this neighbourhood you will find the Toy Museum and the telephone exchange.

In the shopping street from the 1970s, you can experience your own story. Visit Poul’s Radio and TV shop with spool tape recorders, record players and David Bowie and Slade LPs. Look in the windows of the travel agency, the photo shop and the glazier. This district is to be extended up to 2014 with homes, shops and professional businesses. Visit the Danish Poster Museum and Art Chamber with exhibitions of silver, clocks and earthenware.

The Old Town was founded in 1909 as the world's first open-air museum of urban culture. The houses and interiors are from all over Denmark. The houses are dismantled, moved and rebuilt in The Old Town. The Old Town is considered to be the premier open-air museum of urban culture in Europe.

Egeskov is diverse. There is so much to see for all age groups that you could easily spend an entire day here. Both children and adults can play on the two large playgrounds. Children can also take their parents for a walk in the treetops.

The large play area is built up with several climbing plateaus connected by pillars that children can balance on. Children can walk on stilts and drive go cart races. There is the possibility to play different types of traditional games such as skittles and horseshoe throwing.

The whole family can explore the 10 exciting museums displaying aircraft, vintage cars, motorcycles, emergency vehicles, as well as dolls and historical clothing. A new feature is the exhibition of the lady of the castle’s hoard – Fashion from 1859 and 40 years on. The exhibition is based on a discovery of some 500 French fashion magazines, which have lain untouched in Egeskov’s attic. Among the exhibition highlights are some of Queen Marie Antoinette's amazing dresses.

Egeskov’s many garden rooms are a pleasure and a great inspiration for all garden lovers. The garden was built in the 1700's, and it is still under development and it is tended all year round by Egeskov’s enthusiastic gardeners.

Egeskov is open in the evening for special events and activities on 11th-18th and 25th July, as well as 1st August. The evening ends with a big firework display at 22.45.

See more on www.egeskov.dk, where you can also buy your tickets.

Fisheries and Maritime Museum, Saltwater Aquarium. Esbjerg
14,000 m2 of activities and adventures for the whole family. The museum has exciting exhibitions, lots of activities and fantastic opportunities for those who are eager to learn.

On your way through the aquarium hall you’ll learn about the diversity of the Danish seas and be fascinated by the brilliant way in which fish have managed to adapt to life in the water.

In the 500,000-litre seal pool the two species of seal that inhabit our waters are on display: the common seal, which as the name suggests is the most common, and the somewhat rarer grey seal. The seals can be seen from both the edge of the pool and through a 15-metre wide underwater window. The seals are fed every day at 11.00 and 14.30.

The halls in the museum display exhibitions of sea fishing off the coast of West Jutland in the 20th century and the history of seafaring in the Wadden Sea from the Viking age up until the present day. Furthermore, in 2012 there are two different exhibitions: one goes into detail about fish and their fascinating reproduction and the second is about fishing rods. The latter contains many beautiful objects.

Take the opportunity to experience the open-air exhibition featuring the coastal fishing village, harbour environment, shipyard for wooden ships and a World War II bunker. Take a walk past the ships, houses and working craftsmen, since during the summer the shipbuilder, dragnet binder and blacksmith will be fully engaged in their traditional crafts. Here you can also find the museum’s playground, which contains a shipwreck, lighthouse, zip wire, etc. - a true paradise for children of all ages.

In June 2012, you can experience the year's big news and be aboard Fregatten Jylland in battle. Experience the sea battle of Helgoland as we recreate the battle from 1864. Fregatten is ready for battle and you can take command of the ship. You must ensure victory at Helgoland.

Discover a true hero from 1864. Children must solve the riddle of Pirate Alley with help from Kalle Krudt’s treasure map (4-6 years). Get your own discharge book (7-12 years), you have to make your own rope, shoot with heavy canons and be hoisted up the mast.

Go aboard the world's longest wooden ship and discover the gun deck with 30 giant canons or go on the orlop deck and see how it was to be at sea 150 years ago.

Welcome aboard the world's longest wooden ship.

Living history

During periods of living history, there are lively and joyful days at The Open-Air Museum Hjerl Hede. About a hundred volunteer children and adults populate the village houses, farms and workshops and demonstrate how they lived and worked in the country about 200 years ago.

Visit the old bakery and buy nostalgic-tasting bread to go with the coffee you brought along, or browse the grocer’s shop, which offers such temptations as salt herring, schnapps and boiled sweets in paper cones. Ride on a penny-farthing, walk on stilts or compete with your family in welly-throwing.

The year at Hjerl Hede

The Open-Air Museum is open to visitors on days with no activities as well. You have the option of being guided digitally via film and QR codes.

You can also opt to simply take a stroll around the village, enjoying the tranquillity, smells and sounds of the animals grazing, quacking or grunting.

Food and drink

You can bring your own sandwiches to eat in the picnic house, or you can enjoy a tasty lunch or coffee and cake etc. at the atmospheric restaurant Skyttegaarden, which can be found at the museum.

Read more at www.hjerlhede.dk

The Viking Ship Museum in Roskilde – experience the unforgettable! Here you can feel the presence of history when you stand before the five original Viking ships or sail on Roskilde Fjord! The impressive ships reveal stories about wars and voyages, trade and journeys to distant lands, and life 1,000 years ago. The Skuldelev ships have provided new knowledge about the Vikings and have made Denmark one of the world’s leaders in the field of maritime archaeology.

Experiences for all – all year round!
Exciting exhibitions – Films about Viking ships and the Sea Stallion from Glendalough – Dress as a Viking – Go on board Viking ships – Activities for children – Scenic harbour life – Museum shop. Daily sailing trips from the 1st May – 30th September. Groups can book private sailing trips.

Summer activities: Every day from 23rd June to 15th August, as well as weekends in May, June, July and August you can strike coins, paint shields, cast Thor’s hammers and make Viking jewellery. At the Boatyard you can follow the construction of a Viking ship. Be an apprentice in the boatbuilders’ workshop and try your strength against oak wood with Viking tools. You can also work with glowing iron in the smithy, weave willow and carve beautiful designs in wood.

Special arrangements: The Sea Stallion sails again! From 8th – 28th July. Follow the journey live – perhaps we will come to a harbour near you? We will celebrate the homecoming with the ‘Water, Wind and Vikings Festival’, 28th – 29th July. The Michelin Guide has awarded the Viking Ship Museum 3 stars – an attraction that is worth the journey!

A sea of activities all year round – for information on events, opening times, prices and booking: www.vikingeskibsmuseet.dk