Nationalmuseets Kommandørgård (The Sea Captain’s House)

Whaling wealth on a windswept Wadden Sea island

Nationalmuseets Kommandørgård, also known as The Sea Captain’s House, stands on Rømø facing the wide, tidal flats of the Wadden Sea. The setting is open and rural: low farm buildings, grazing sheep and the constant sense of sea air even when the water has pulled far out across the mudflats. The house tells the story of the commanders – captains who sailed north to the Arctic in pursuit of whales and trade, bringing prosperity back to this remote island. Although this particular farm was not originally owned by a commander, it was later given the title because it so closely resembles the grand households of Rømø’s maritime elite. Its low, timbered profile and red‑tiled roof conceal an interior that feels unexpectedly opulent for an 18th‑century farm in such a windswept corner of Denmark.

Inside an 18th‑century captain’s world

Step through the heavy doorway and you enter a sequence of snug, low‑ceilinged rooms that have been carefully furnished to evoke life here in the 1700s. Walls are lined with oak panelling and detailed joinery, and many rooms retain finely painted decorative borders and doors. Light falls softly through small windows onto polished wooden chests, sturdy tables and box beds built into the walls. One of the most striking features is the extensive use of Dutch tiles. Entire walls shimmer with blue‑and‑white scenes of ships, biblical stories and everyday life, a reminder of how closely connected Rømø once was to ports in the Netherlands. Imported wallpapers and well‑crafted furniture add to the sense of a household that invested its whaling profits in comfort and display, even in this far‑flung corner of Jutland.

A whale skeleton in the barn

Beyond the main living quarters, the farm buildings form a sheltered yard. Here, the practical routines of agricultural life met the global world of shipping and whaling. In the barn you encounter one of the site’s most memorable exhibits: the large skeleton of a sperm whale that stranded on Rømø in the 1990s. Suspended and reassembled, it fills the space with pale bones and a sense of the immense creatures that once drew captains north. Standing beneath the skeleton, it is easy to imagine the dangers and rewards of the voyages that paid for this farm. The display links the quiet fields around you with stormy Arctic seas, and underlines how deeply Rømø’s history is tied to marine resources and long‑distance trade.

Sea views, open grounds and a cosy café

Outside, the farm enjoys far‑reaching views over meadows and out towards the Wadden Sea. On clear days you can trace the subtle line where land turns to tidal flat and then to shining water. The grounds around the house offer space for children to play and for adults to wander between buildings, lingering over architectural details and old construction techniques. Close to the farmhouse a small café serves simple lunches, coffee, tea, ice creams and homemade cakes. It is an atmospheric place to pause between exploring rooms, particularly on breezy days when the contrast between the snug interior and the exposed landscape feels strongest. Benches and seating areas allow you to sit outside with a packed lunch and enjoy the coastal light.

Practicalities, access and seasonal rhythm

The museum is run as part of the National Museum of Denmark and generally opens seasonally from spring into autumn, with closures in winter and on some weekdays. Adult tickets are moderately priced, while children and young people enter free, making it an accessible cultural stop for families. Surfaces in the yard can be uneven, and thresholds and steps mean that access for visitors with reduced mobility can require extra time and care. The atmosphere, however, is unhurried: there is enough to see for a focused one‑hour visit, but many travellers choose to linger longer, combining the historic interiors, the whale skeleton and a café break into a relaxed half‑day around Rømø’s maritime past.