Museums and attractions in Esbjerg Municipality
The local museums and attractions offer exciting experiences all year round. Discover, learn, try new things, and be challenged. The museums have a strong focus on communicating different topics in a captivating way for both children and adults.
Look forward to spending a few hours or maybe the entire day at Esbjerg Municipality’s many museums.
Denmark’s oldest cathedral is located in Denmark’s oldest town, Ribe. The cathedral is Ribe’s most famous landmark and a world-class cultural heritage site that allows you to get close to Danish history. Visit and experience Carl-Henning Pedersen’s modern decorations and enjoy the stunning views from Borgertårnet (The Commoners’ Tower).
At the Fisheries and Maritime Museum, you can experience all types of fish living in Danish waters. When the newly renovated sealarium reopens, you will be able to get a closer look at the seals during their daily feeding. The museum’s exhibitions also include exciting stories and recounts about life at sea and Esbjerg’s development – from fishing port to EnergyMetropolis.
Get an insight into what life was like in the Viking Age at the Museum Ribes Vikinger (Ribe’s Vikings). The museum’s exhibitions describe Ribe’s development as Scandinavia’s oldest town through the Viking Age, the Middle Ages, and until the year 1700. You can also experience enactments of history on a walking tour of Ribe.
Why not visit the Vikings, after having learned so much about them? A few kilometres outside Ribe, you find Ribe Vikingecenter. Experience how the Vikings used to live their lives – in the market place, in the city, and the countryside. You can try grinding your own flour and bake your own flatbread in true Viking style.
The Wadden Sea is Denmark’s largest national park and listed as a UNESCO heritage site. The Wadden Sea Centre showcases the spectacular area and its unique wildlife. Here you can experience what is so fascinating about the Wadden Sea – the marshland and the wildlife, the natural elements, the tides, and the storm surges. Keep an eye on the Centre’s annual program, which advertises exciting trips such as seal safaris, oyster tours, and walks to the small island of Mandø.
Theatres
From Shakespeare classics Romeo and Juliet to children plays like Ronia – the Robber’s Daughter by Astrid Lindgren, Esbjerg Municipality offers a wide range of theatre, ballet, opera, musical, and stand-up performances. At Musikhuset Esbjerg, you will find Esbjerg Municipality’s biggest stage.
Amateurs take the stage
If you are interested in amateur theatre, you can join Esbjerg Børne- og Ungdomsteater in Esbjerg, Teatret Drakomir in Ribe, or Gadespejlet in Bramming. Gadespejlet offers amateur productions for both children and adults.
Art
Art is everywhere in Esbjerg.
In fact, Esbjerg’s most famous landmark is a piece of art. The giant sculpture “Man meets the Sea” is composed of four impressive white statues overlooking the sea. The inspiration comes partly from the enigmatic stone statues of Easter Island. “Man meets the Sea” can be seen from a distance of 10 kilometres.
Art is everywhere in the public space. You will notice it when you visit parks and green areas. For instance, at Hjerting Beach Park, where a remarkable sculpture made by the internationally renowned artist Rui Chafes adds an extra dimension to the scenery.
The statue of the Danish King Christian IX, which was erected in the Market Square by Esbjerg’s citizens to honour the founders of the city, is an example of a more traditional sculptural art form.
If you take a tour from the Market Square to Musikhuset on Torvegade, you will walk 288 stairs. Here, the light sculpture, Stardust, depicts the starry sky, where it is also possible to spot the Milky Way, marked with a bluish light.
Esbjerg Kunstmuseum (Esbjerg Art Museum) exhibits contemporary art, showing the latest talked about pieces in Danish and international art. Do not miss the aesthetic laboratory! If you enjoy more traditional art, pay a visit to Ribe Kunstmuseum, showcasing the best art from various periods of Danish art history.
Esbjerg Ensemble
Esbjerg Ensemble is the region’s cultural beacon when it comes to classical chamber music. The ensemble is known for its innovative and versatile programming as well as its strong sense of quality. The ensemble consists of 10 skilled musicians from all over the world playing wind quintet, string quartet, and percussion.
Esbjerg Ensemble was founded in 1967, as the first professional chamber ensemble in Denmark. It began as an initiative from local forces in collaboration with the Ministry of Culture. It was a visionary idea, which has since inspired many other cities in the world.
Kulturskolen – a creative powerhouse
Creativity abounds at Kulturskolen in Esbjerg. Here you find Denmark’s biggest talent programme for The Royal Danish Ballet School (Den Kongelige Balletskole).
At Kulturskolen everything melts into one big and creative powerhouse, where different art styles can inspire each other.
Kulturskolen also offers music, visual arts, theatre, and ballet.
HUSET Esbjerg
HUSET Esbjerg is Esbjerg’s student and cultural centre. Located in the heart of Esbjerg, HUSET is a natural gathering place for Esbjerg’s students.
You can experience concerts, lectures, and watch movies in the new art cinema at HUSET. HUSET is meant to be used for almost all forms of creative expressions. The philosophy is that HUSET is user-driven, and the users themselves can define and influence the content and profile of the place.