Hans Christian Andersen House, Odense

A gateway into Andersen’s imaginative universe

Hans Christian Andersen’s House is far more than a traditional author museum; it is a purpose-built narrative space that invites you inside the mind of Denmark’s most celebrated storyteller. From the outset, you leave the everyday city behind and enter a sequence of carefully staged rooms where familiar tales slip in and out of view. Biographical fragments, drawings and manuscripts appear alongside scenes inspired by stories such as The Little Mermaid, The Emperor’s New Clothes and The Princess and the Pea, constantly blurring the line between author and imagination. Throughout the journey, audio, lighting and scenography work together to create a cinematic atmosphere. Rather than walking past static display cases, you move through chapters of an unfolding story, guided by soundscapes, projected images and spoken words that echo Andersen’s own language. The result is a museum where you feel you are participating in the storytelling, not merely learning about it.

Architecture that disappears into a fairytale garden

The building itself, designed with striking circular volumes and large panes of glass, is largely hidden below ground so that a generous fairy-tale garden can spread out at street level. Pathways curl around clipped hedges, shifting in height and form as they respond to the surrounding city. In some corners the greenery feels intimate and low, framing views of half-timbered houses; in others the planting rises several metres, creating a sense of enclosure and quiet. Indoors and outdoors are tightly woven together. Views from the exhibition halls open onto planted courtyards and pools of water, while the garden in turn offers glimpses back into the subterranean world. The landscape design echoes motifs from Andersen’s work, from reflective water surfaces to mysterious clearings that feel like the threshold to another story. Even if you only stroll the grounds, there is a strong sense of being in a living, evolving chapter of his universe.

Fairytales brought to life through sound, light and play

Inside the underground galleries, Andersen’s tales are reinterpreted through contemporary installation art and multimedia. Some rooms immerse you in darkness pierced by whispers of narration; others flood you with colour and music as familiar characters appear in unexpected forms. Rather than explaining the stories, the museum lets you experience their moods – the melancholy, humour, unease and wonder that made them resonate far beyond children’s literature. A special highlight for younger visitors is Ville Vau, a dedicated children’s universe where dressing up, role-play and hands-on activities are encouraged. Here, children can step directly into fairytale scenarios, experimenting with costumes, props and creative workshops that echo themes from the main exhibition. It transforms Andersen from a distant historical figure into a playful companion in make-believe.

Rooted in the streets where the writer was born

The museum complex incorporates Andersen’s presumed birthplace, a modest yellow house on a narrow Odense street. After wandering through the more experimental spaces, stepping into these low-ceilinged rooms restores a sense of historical scale. Simple furnishings, small windows and close-packed interiors hint at the humble circumstances of his early years and the intensity of his dreams of escape. Beyond the house and garden, the surrounding quarter retains much of its old-town character, with cobbled lanes, small squares and nearby churches echoing scenes Andersen would have known. The museum thus becomes both a self-contained artwork and a starting point for exploring the wider city, where sculptures, plaques and other dedicated sites trace the poet’s footprint through Odense.

A contemporary cultural landmark with a green heart

Hans Christian Andersen’s House functions as a cultural flagship for Odense, combining exhibition spaces with a café and shop set within the garden. The complex has been developed with a clear focus on environmental responsibility, from energy-conscious building strategies to waste sorting and sustainable purchasing, earning recognition as a certified green attraction. This commitment aligns neatly with the surrounding parkland, where native plantings and seasonal change are integral to the design. The museum is fully accessible, with step-free routes and facilities for visitors with reduced mobility. Whether you come for a focused literary pilgrimage, a family outing or a contemplative wander through the gardens, the experience can be tailored to your own pace. It is a place to linger, revisit and re-read – much like Andersen’s stories themselves, which continue to reveal new layers each time you encounter them.