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Oluf Høst Museum, Gudhjem

An intimate artist’s home and hillside garden where Oluf Høst’s paintings hang exactly where they were created, overlooking the sea and rooftops of Gudhjem.

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Set on a rocky slope above Gudhjem’s north harbour, the Oluf Høst Museum is an intimate art museum in the former home and studios of Bornholm’s celebrated painter Oluf Høst (1884–1966). Paintings hang in the very rooms and garden ateliers where they were created, framed by granite outcrops, sea views and shifting Baltic light that inspired his classic modernist landscapes. Seasonal special exhibitions, a small cinema and a tranquil garden make this a quietly atmospheric stop in Gudhjem.

A brief summary to Oluf Høst Museum

  • Løkkegade 35, Gudhjem, 3760, DK
  • +4556485038
  • Visit website
  • Duration: 1 to 2 hours
  • Mid ranged
  • Environment icon Mixed
  • Mobile reception: 4 out of 5
  • Monday 11 am-5 pm
  • Tuesday 11 am-5 pm
  • Wednesday 11 am-5 pm
  • Thursday 11 am-5 pm
  • Friday 11 am-5 pm
  • Saturday 11 am-5 pm
  • Sunday 11 am-5 pm

Local tips

  • Plan at least 1–1.5 hours so you can visit all three studios, watch the film about Oluf Høst and spend unhurried time in the steep rock garden.
  • Wear comfortable shoes; paths in the garden are uneven and sloping, and the summer studio sits higher up the hillside with some steps.
  • Check the current season’s special exhibitions in advance, especially if you are interested in contemporary Danish art shown alongside Høst’s works.
  • Bring a light layer even in summer; the coastal position can be breezy, and indoor temperatures in the historic house can feel cool.
  • If visiting with children, look for the garden painting area, which offers a relaxed way for younger visitors to engage with the museum.
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Getting There

  • Bus from Rønne on Bornholm

    From Rønne, take a regional BAT bus toward Gudhjem; the journey typically takes about 40–55 minutes depending on the route and season. Tickets usually cost around 30–60 DKK one way, with reduced fares for children and youth. Buses run several times a day in high season but less frequently in winter, so it is worth checking current timetables. From Gudhjem’s central bus stop, the walk up through town to the museum involves a noticeable uphill stretch and cobbled lanes, which may be challenging for those with limited mobility.

  • Car or taxi from elsewhere on Bornholm

    Driving to Gudhjem from most Bornholm towns is straightforward and usually takes 20–35 minutes, for example roughly 30 minutes from Rønne and 20 minutes from Svaneke. Expect typical local taxi fares of about 250–450 DKK for these distances, depending on time of day and waiting time. Near the museum and in the surrounding streets there are small parking areas, but spaces can be limited in peak summer hours, so allow extra time to find a spot and be prepared for short uphill walks from the car to the entrance.

  • Walking within Gudhjem

    If you are already staying in Gudhjem, reaching the museum on foot is the most practical option. Most guesthouses and central streets in the village are within a 10–20 minute walk. The route involves steep, narrow lanes and some uneven surfaces typical of this hillside town, so flat shoes are recommended. The walk is not ideal for those with significant mobility issues, but it rewards you with scenic glimpses of rooftops and sea as you approach the museum.

Oluf Høst Museum location weather suitability

  • Weather icon Mild Temperatures
  • Weather icon Clear Skies
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Discover more about Oluf Høst Museum

An artist’s villa overlooking the Baltic

The Oluf Høst Museum occupies Norresân, the whitewashed villa that painter Oluf Høst built in 1929 on the northern edge of Gudhjem, high above the Baltic Sea. He lived and worked here until his death in 1966, shaping the house and steep garden to suit his needs as an artist. Today the same rooms, terraces and outbuildings form a compact museum that still feels like a lived-in home rather than a formal gallery. Born and raised on Bornholm, Høst became the island’s best‑known artist and the only native member of the Bornholm School, a loose group of painters captivated by the island’s crystalline light and rugged coastline. Inside the villa you encounter his world at close range: weathered furniture, simple interiors and large canvases leaning over radiators or hanging above doorways, as they did in his lifetime.

Light, landscape and the Bornholm School

Høst’s work is steeped in Nordic light and landscape, and the collection here brings that obsession into sharp focus. More than 50 paintings, sketches and drawings span decades of his career, many centred on recurring motifs like the farmhouse Bognemark or the smokehouses at Nørresand. He painted some subjects hundreds of times, in snow, in dusk, under moonlight, or bathed in late summer sun, chasing subtle shifts of colour and atmosphere. Wall texts and a small film screened in the main house trace his path from studies in Copenhagen to exhibitions abroad, including New York and major European shows, before he settled permanently back on Bornholm. The museum places particular emphasis on his distinctive form of Scandinavian modernism, where solid, almost sculptural forms sit under brooding skies, and human presence is hinted at rather than described.

Studios in a quarry garden

Behind the villa, a steep rock garden climbs toward the remains of an old quarry. Narrow paths weave between granite boulders, wild grass and low shrubs, opening suddenly onto sea views and glimpses of Gudhjem’s red roofs below. Two separate studios punctuate this ascent: an atelier in the garden and a summer studio higher up, where Høst worked outdoors for much of the year. These workspaces now host changing exhibitions and interpretive displays about the artist’s life, family and circle of friends. Standing at the windows or on the small terraces, you can match the surrounding landscape to motifs you have just seen on canvas inside. The garden’s raw stone, salty air and shifting cloud cover make it easy to understand why Høst considered this hillside a vital part of his creative process.

Atmosphere, films and seasonal exhibitions

Beyond the permanent displays, the museum mounts temporary exhibitions each season, often pairing Høst’s works with fellow Danish artists or contemporaries who engaged with similar themes. These shows may be installed in the villa or the summer studio, adding fresh layers of context to the core collection without overwhelming the intimate scale of the house. A small cinema room offers a documentary about Høst, with archival footage, photographs and commentary that illuminate his methods and temperament. Throughout the museum, the emphasis remains on slow looking: there are few flashy digital installations, just carefully chosen texts, occasional multimedia stories and the quiet presence of paintings in familiar domestic spaces.

A quiet garden retreat within Gudhjem

Outside, benches are scattered among the rocks and trees, inviting you to linger with a view of the Baltic or simply enjoy the shelter of the garden walls on a windy day. In season, refreshments such as coffee and light drinks are available, turning the garden into a modest café‑like refuge. Families will find a small area where children can try their hand at painting, echoing the creative spirit of the place without disturbing its calm. Despite its location within Gudhjem, the museum feels surprisingly secluded once you step through the gate. The combination of homely interiors, concentrated art and a dramatic garden landscape makes it an evocative stop for anyone interested in Danish painting, Bornholm’s artistic heritage or just a contemplative hour away from the harbourfront bustle.

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