Open Air Museum Hjerl Hede - Historical Houses and Gardens
Explore the historical houses and gardens that span several centuries. There are buildings from all over Denmark.
Frilandsmuseet Hjerl Hede is one of the country's most impressive and idyllic open-air museums, where you can explore and experience life as it was several hundred years ago. Here, you gain a unique insight into the architecture, building styles, materials, and craftsmanship of the past through authentic houses and living history displays during the summer and at Christmas.
Historic Buildings and Half-Timbered Houses
At Hjerl Hede, you can admire a number of beautiful, old architectural gems, especially the charming half-timbered houses with thatched roofs. Visit the Pastor's House from 1890, an impressive half-timbered house with a brick gable that provides an authentic glimpse into past architecture.
Explore also the Village Inn, built around 1750 and preserved as it appeared in 1865. This traditional inn is a half-timbered house where you can feel the essence of history.
The Old Mills
A must-see at Hjerl Hede is the red watermill, first mentioned in 1858. This fully functional mill, powered by water from the stream, is also a traditional half-timbered house. Several times a year, you can experience the mill grinding flour, just as it was done over a hundred years ago.
The Stub Mill can be considered a landmark of Frilandsmuseet Hjerl Hede. Located at the highest point of the museum, it is one of the first buildings you notice when entering the museum grounds.
Living History
Hjerl Hede brings the past to life with outstanding reenactments, where volunteers dressed in historical costumes perform crafts and daily tasks from bygone eras. These reenactments take place for six weeks in the summer and during three weekends leading up to Christmas. It offers visitors, especially children, a unique opportunity to interact with history and gain a deeper understanding of life in earlier times.
Throughout the year, it is possible to visit Hjerl Hede and admire the many beautiful buildings and historical gardens. Outside the museum's opening hours, you can purchase access to the museum for 40 Danish kroner. Here, you can enjoy the buildings from the outside and visit the many animals that are permanent residents of the museum.
Historical Gardens
At Hjerl Hede, you can experience the beautiful historical gardens carefully recreated to match the periods from which the houses originate. Each garden is designed with period-appropriate plants, providing an authentic insight into how people cultivated their gardens 100-200 years ago. From ornamental gardens near the Pastor's House to utility gardens at the farmsteads, you can explore past garden designs and see how flora was an integral part of daily life.
Plan Your Visit
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, where you can purchase classic Danish dishes, traditional ice cream waffles, and more. The restaurant follows the museum's opening hours.
Children and young people under 18 always enter for free. Note that there are different entrance fees in high and low season, and discounts cannot be combined.
Read more about the individual houses and plan your visit at hjerlhede.dk.