Open Air Museum Hjerl Hede

Welcome to the Open-Air Museum Hjerl Hede, where history comes alive and adventures await around every corner. At Hjerl Hede, you step into a world where the past is brought to life through historical homes, engaging stories, and exciting activities for children and adults. This unique open-air museum on the Jutland heath is the perfect excursion destination for families with children, groups, and couples who wish to experience a blend of culture, nature, and history.

Take a time travel
When you visit Hjerl Hede, you embark on a fascinating journey back in time. The open-air museum offers a collection of historical buildings and half-timbered houses that depict farming, village life, and crafts from around the 17th century to the early 20th century. Each house has a garden that matches the time period of the house, giving children and adults the opportunity to see what was grown and eaten in the old days. Explore farmhouses, mills, workshops, the general store, and the inn, and the museum houses buildings from most regions of Denmark. At Hjerl Hede, you will also find Jutland's oldest farm, Vinkelgården from 1546. It is also at Hjerl Hede where scenes for the major Danish feature film 'The Bastard' with Mads Mikkelsen were filmed. Parts of the film were shot in and around Hedegården, which dates back to 1818.

Revival in summer and at Christmas
Every year the open-air museum comes to life with revival. Here, volunteers dress in period costumes and help create an authentic atmosphere as you move around the museum. As you walk through the historic homes, you will meet the innkeeper, the pastor's family, and the school children in the village school. The revival lasts six weeks in the summer and the three weekends leading up to Christmas. It is also during the revival that the 100-year-old steam locomotive runs. Take a trip out to Denmark's largest heath lake, Flyndersø, where you can enjoy the beautiful, historic landscape.

Fun and educational experiences for children
Hjerl Hede is more than just a museum – it is a living playground for children. Throughout the year, various activities are organized, giving children the opportunity to try their hand at past tasks and crafts. They can also spend lots of time and energy on the large, historical playground with the Children's General Store, the Children's Farm, and the many play equipment that challenge all senses. Next to the playground, there are covered tables and benches where you can eat packed lunches or enjoy a delicious ice cream from Restaurant Skyttegaarden. Throughout the year, children can try baking, riding in a horse-drawn carriage, visiting the old dairy, and seeing how food was cooked on an old-fashioned stove. Through play and learning, children gain a deeper understanding of how life was in the old days. In the summer, children can also become pupils in the old village school, where they get a unique insight into what it was like to attend school in the 1820s within an hour.

Also, visit the many animals that are the museum's permanent residents. There are horses, pigs, cows, sheep, goats, chickens, and geese. They live around the 20-hectare museum area.

Nature and nostalgia
Besides the many historical experiences, Hjerl Hede is also a scenic area where you can enjoy a picnic outdoors, walk in the beautiful surroundings, or take a relaxing break by the village pond or Flyndersø. The open-air museum is surrounded by heathland and forest, making it a perfect destination for a day in nature. Therefore, it is also ideal for the four-legged visitors who can enjoy exciting scents and routes around the museum. Dogs on a leash are always free to enter.

Practical information
Hjerl Hede is located on the Jutland heath just outside the town of Vinderup. The museum is easily accessible by car, camper, and bus. There are good, free parking facilities and three Pintrip spots for campers. Hjerl Hede is just an hour's drive from the North Sea and a fifteen-minute drive from the Limfjord. Restaurant Skyttegaarden is located within the museum grounds and here you can buy classic Danish dishes, old-fashioned ice cream cones, and much more. The restaurant follows the museum's opening hours. Children and young people under 18 always have free admission. Please note that there are different entrance fees in high and low seasons, and any discounts cannot be combined.

Take family and friends on an unforgettable journey through time at the Hjerl Hede Open-Air Museum – here, memories are made for life. Visit us today and experience history up close.