Inout Kids corner: Fresh-air crafty critters (someone’s been telling porkie pies!)

Where can you spend all day letting off steam after being cooped back up at school for weeks?

Need another clue? Well, it must have cost blood, sweat and tears moving all the fascinating old buildings from all over Denmark and rebuilding them brick by brick and stone by stone in this amazing natural oasis.
And did I mention that admission is absolutely free?

Udder sustainable energies
Any ideas? Yes, you’ve guessed. For this month’s column, we visited the Open Air Museum (Friluftsmusseet) in Lyngby, which covers 76 acres and has about 50 different charming dwellings to explore.

Inside, you’ll also find quaint old furniture and tools of the trade that have belonged to craftsmen and craftswomen down through the ages. A load of old cobblers. Of course. And weavers, potters, blacksmiths, farmers and their animals. Imagine that: having your cows in the next room to help keep you warm during the bitter Danish winters. Cuddle up, Buttercup.

Giddy up, let’s roll
We started off by turning right just inside the entrance to the museum and climbing aboard a horse-drawn cart. The 20-minute ride costs 25 kroner per person and gives a good overview of what to visit on foot. The wagons only roll in good weather and when there are enough visitors to make it worthwhile (check via 4120 6455).

We saw lots of children. Some waved and others were too busy playing with the manmade waterfalls and the chickens scratching among the bushes. Anika and Toran kindly sat and stood in for photos as Jake was at school.

Big piggywig
We passed the biggest pig I have ever seen. As soon as we were out of range, it stood up and looked very photogenic with a very appealing ‘mud petticoat’. The coachman explained this was a rather sneaky piggy.

The museum had bought her earlier in the summer because she was showing all the signs of being an expectant mummy pig waiting to have piglets. She was certainly amply proportioned. But now, with summer drawing to a close, and still no piggywinks, she was generally believed to have tricked her way into a cushy number in piggy paradise with a phantom pregnancy. She has no name, but
Trixie would do nicely.

Anyway, by the time I had jumped off the wagon where the trip started and hiked back to where I thought I’d last seen her, she too seemed to have disappeared into thin air. I started asking other visitors I met: “Have you seen a big pig”, and I finally found her in the Andelsbyen section. By then, she had flopped once again and not even her legs were very visible. She was making comforting little grunts, but grunts get lost in translation and print, I’m afraid.

Bringing the past to life
As luck would have it, Finbarr the craftsman was clowning about making children laugh just as I happened to walk past. He’s actually Irish, but his antics are so visual that words are unnecessary. Looking ahead, Frilandsmuseet’s historical market is always held during the autumn school holiday – this year from 11-18 October 2015 with activities from 11:00-15:30 that show life at the end of the 1800s, with traditional stalls, wacky theatre shows and tasty treats galore. So remember to take some cash – especially in case you get peckish.

Winter wonderland
After the autumn holiday, the museum will be closed until Christmas, when it opens again for the first two weekends in December, transformed with Christmas spirit and decorated to the hilt with the restaurant serving delicious dishes from the good old days.

See helendyrbye.blogspot.com for lots more photos, including Trixie the Pig – and some from last Christmas – and find out how Jake and I made a fleece egg cosy inspired by the ones we bought in the charming museum shop, which is crowded with cute craft products.




  • Tunø: An island running out of time

    Tunø: An island running out of time

    The island of Tunø harbors a community of 74 adults and one child. There are no cars and only one connection to the rest of the world. Now, climate change threatens it

  • Cross-border moves on the rise in the Øresund region

    Cross-border moves on the rise in the Øresund region

    The number of relocations across the Øresund Region is rising. As highlighted by 2023 numbers, Sweden benefits from a growing interest, especially among younger generations.

  • In conversation with Conrad Molden: The man behind the mic

    In conversation with Conrad Molden: The man behind the mic

    He’s tickled our funny bone with countless wisecracks and clever wordplay, and in the process, made Denmark feel a little more personable to many expats. An international import himself, funny man Conrad Molden has successfully carved out a niche for himself on the Danish stand-up scene, but it’s taken a solid 13 years, much trial and error, and heaps of Danglish

  • Here Comes The Sun…

    Here Comes The Sun…

    I escaped from Denmark this winter to the south of France, where I was convinced that the sunshine would inspire me to write this year’s Crazy Christmas comedy show.

  • Volunteer Night 2025: when volunteering rhymes with integrating

    Volunteer Night 2025: when volunteering rhymes with integrating

    On Wednesday, April 30, from 17:00 to 20:00, Studenterhuset will host Volunteer Night 2025, a free event organized by the organization International House Copenhagen, which goal is to ease the relocation process for newcomers in Denmark

  • The international who shaped Copenhagen

    The international who shaped Copenhagen

    Anna Maria Indrio is one of the most important architects in Denmark, having contributed to shaping Copenhagen into what it is today. Among her best-known projects are the extension of SMK and Arken, as well as the Natural History Museum and the Darwin Centre in London. She moved here 60 years ago, when “Copenhagen was gray and dormant. Predictions suggested it would become depopulated. But putting people at the center changed everything,” she said

Connect Club is your gateway to a vibrant programme of events and an international community in Denmark.