Visiting the Struer Museum in Denmark

One day in June, my family and I were camping on the Limfjord and decided to take a break from all the relaxation and go out sightseeing in this new part of Denmark. We wanted to see attractions in and around Struer, Denmark, which was when we discovered the Struer Museum.

Why Visit the Struer Museum

With its combination of hands-on and informative displays, we knew that the Struer Museum would give us a unique, family-fun experience that had something for everyone in this quiet section of Denmark’s Midtjylland, the middle area of Denmark’s peninsula.

We hadn’t been to a museum since the corona outbreak started in Denmark, and since attractions were starting to open back up in Denmark, we knew we wanted to add a bit of culture and history to this camping trip. Plus, it was Father’s Day, so we wanted to take my husband out to a place that he could really appreciate it! The Struer Museum seemed to be the best fit for the job!

The Entrance to the Struer Museum

Upon our arrival to the Struer Museum, we noticed that the main building was comprise of red bricks and built in the quaint style of many traditional buildings in Denmark during the early part of the 20^th century.

However, as we turned the corner to enter the doorway of the museum, we noticed that the entryway had a tree growing through it. This was something we hadn’t expected to see, and we were quite intrigued by the sight of it.

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Information Desk and Children’s Activity at the Struer Museum

The small, information desk was the first thing we noticed after walking through the doors of the museum. Here is where visitors can pay admission, get information and even buy a drink or snack.

Instead of getting refreshments, the boys decided to take part in the scavenger hunt instead. The staff member of the Struer Museum gave each of my boys a clipboard with an activity book and pen. This booklet was filled with questions about the museum displays and objects for children to look for as they toured the museum. We loved this idea, and my boys were very excited for the challenge.

Real-life Struggles When it Comes to Doing Anything Fun with Kids

To be quite fair, my youngest didn’t want to get out of the car when we got to the museum. Apparently, the idea of going to a museum was very low on his list of things to do that day, and he reminded me multiple times of how he would rather be playing on the playground at the campground.

It took us a good 10 minutes to get him out of the car and another 5 (at least) to get him into the building. He was fighting us with his slow, sloth-like movements every step of the way. It was at that moment when he was given the activity booklet and told of the prize at the end of tour that he somehow seemed to change his attitude.

What was my first impression of the Struer Museum?! Magical, in the sense that it transformed my kid from a cranky curmudgeon to a somewhat pleasant little guy. I was still walking on eggshells around him, but at least I wasn’t arguing with him. Thank you, Struer Museum. Who knew that a little thing like an activity packet could make such a difference!!!

I also want to thank the Struer Museum!! This post is sponsored by the Struer Museum, who invited us to be their guests for the afternoon. We really appreciate your offer and hospitality!

Model Ships at the Struer Museum

We decided to go to the left of the entrance of the museum to see all of the different model ships as our first stop on our museum tour. The ships were really interesting to look at and much bigger than any model ships I had ever seen. I know that my boys would have loved to play with them! They had lots of different styles, colors and shapes.

Made in Struer, Denmark

We also noticed that they were working on an exhibition for things that were made in Struer. This area looked like it would be very interesting when it was all done. I particularly liked the Santa that peeked out from the room!

Are you interested in learning more about Danish history? Check out Den Gamle By at Christmastime to see Denmark’s history of Christmas throughout the years.

When we went up the stairs, we noticed the Struer Kayak right away. This was one of the most beautiful kayaks I had ever seen. It was completely made of wood and looked like it would have been used in some Ivy Leave school.

Model Trains at the Struer Museum

There was also a very large train table that showed visitors Struer’s railroad, railyard and harbor. My youngest son took a particular interest in this train set, which was nice to see. My brother had a train set that was similar in style but, of course, smaller in size when we were children in the USA. It was a nice addition and a much more interesting way to show Struer than with just a picture or bit of text.

Sound Experience Exhibition at the Struer Museum

After leaving the trains and ships behind, we decided to work our way towards the lower level of the museum, which is where we found the Sound Experience. This was, by far, the most exciting part of the museum.

The Giant Ear

Here, we first noticed a gigantic ear that the boys got to climb through to get to the other side! This was a pleasant surprise, especially to the little boy who was still getting over his grumpiness. It was safe to say that after a couple crawls through that ear, he was in much better spirits than earlier.

As we walked around the Sound Experience, we found many other ways to play and have fun with sounds. There were a couple of different booth-like rooms that had speakers on all parts of the walls and ceiling. They gave you the feeling that you were listening to an orchestra or in a lion’s den. It was really cool to sit and listen with your eyes closed to get the full effect.

Making a Call at the Sound Experience

My personal favorite had to be the rather large discs that were placed on two opposing sides of the room and facing each other. As my oldest son whispered into the disc on one side of the room, I was able to hear him on my side as clearly as if he were right next to me.

Apparently, I didn’t really know much about sound waves, because this was really cool. We played with these discs, talking back and forth with each other for quite a few minutes before moving on! I was surprised that my oldest didn’t get bored by the activity! Who knew that talking with your mom could be so much fun! 😊

If you look behind the sound disc, you will notice many paintings of the Limjord region!

Sound Effects Studio at the Sound Experience Museum

My boys really loved making sound effects in the little sound studio that they had there. We watched a short, silent cartoon that we had to make the sounds for. It was really interesting to try to find different ways to make the sound of a bird and a horse from the objects that we found in that room! It was like nothing we had ever done before at a museum.

Making Sounds and Music and the Struer Museum

There were other parts to the Sound Experience that were really fun. There was a barber chair, musical tubes, and headphones that let you hear your own voice in different situations. It wasn’t hard to spend time in this part of the museum, and it was a lot of fun to be able touch and play with the different pieces of equipment as a family.

Bang and Olufsen Museum in Denmark

I have to say that I was very excited for the Bang and Olufsen part of the museum. Playing in the Sound Experience was a great time for us all, but I have a deep appreciation for old-fashioned things, especially old radios!! Touring all of B&O’s great displays of radios throughout the years, we a real treat!

I had an old, General Electric radio in my home that stood a little over 3 feet (100 centimeters) tall, and though it had been through a lot with a move across an ocean and many kids pushing on the buttons over the years, I still saw it as one of my most loved possessions!

You can see how walking through the short entryway to the section of the museum that was dedicated to the Danish radio producers, Bang and Olufsen would be pretty exciting for me!!

Antique Radios in Denmark

Right away, we saw all kinds of radios from large to small. They were made of wood and had so many different styles. I seriously wanted one of each to take home! Not only do I love the design of these radios, but I love the overall Danish style and look of Danish furniture from the 1940s and 1950s. There is no better style in my mind!

Antique Movie Camera at B&O Museum

My youngest son really liked the extremely large, movie camera that they had on display that took up most of one wall. We had never seen an old-fashioned camera like this, and it really added some uniqueness to this part of the museum.

Transporting through time at the B&O Museum

Going up the stairs in the B&O part of the Struer Museum was like going forward in time. On the top floor of this exhibition, we found more great displays of Danish design with not only newer B&O radios but also TVs, stereos and other electronic, sound devices. The evolution of their products was quite impressive.  

Johannes Buchholtz House at the Struer Museum

In order to get to the next stop on our tour of the Struer Museum, we needed to go outside the main building and walk to a small house that was next door. This quaint, little home was built in 1911 by the Danish author Johannes Buchholtz and his wife Olga, and it still looks the same as how they had it in the 1940s and 1950s.

Danish Design from the 1800s

The Buchholtz House in Struer is one of the best examples of the Danish style and design of the earlier years, since the Buchholtz couple liked to decorate in the styles of the late 1800s. The bright blue walls, colorful furniture and full-wall bookshelves showed the couple’s flair for traditional Danish things, which was as charming as it was unique.

I loved that it was the home of a writer with constant reminders in every room: stacks of papers, in-use desk, books in most of the rooms. There was also a coziness to the space with all the plants and natural sunlight that gave me a feeling of being welcome. I loved it!

Do you love to see more historical Danish homes? Read all about the Gammel Estrup Manor Home at Easter to see how a wealthy family lived hundreds of years ago!

The Struer Museum Shop

As we left the Buchholtz House, we walked back to the main entrance to the Struer Museum to hand in our children activity books, pens and clipboards. The boys were very sure that they had answered all of the questions correctly, and they were very excited to get their balloon for doing such a good job!

They were also happy when their dad decided to reward their good behavior with a “Tivoli Stang” (red and yellow, candy stick)! It was a small price to pay for the happiness we felt at having a complain-free time at the museum!

While the boys were digging into their candy sticks, I decided to check out the museum shop. This was the best place to shop if you were interested in finding some B&O souvenirs. They had some really nice posters, signs, and books that would please any B&O fan. I also liked some of the additional items that made you feel that you had stepped back into time in Denmark.

Overall Thoughts of the Struer Museum in Denmark

We are so glad that we added this museum to our list. We knew that we didn’t have that much time to spend in this area of the Limfjord, since my boys were very excited to stay on the campground playground, but the nice thing about the Struer Musuem is that it doesn’t take you all day to visit there.

My family and I really appreciated that the museum was very hands-on in certain spots to allow the little ones to explore their curiosities and experience some play while we were there. We also really loved that they included the activity booklet to give our children an extra reason to pay more attention to the displays and exhibits.

We would recommend the Struer Museum to any family wanting to have fun while learning about a different part of Danish history that might not be found elsewhere. If you are looking for fun things to see in Denmark’s Midtjylland, you will be want to visit the Struer Museum!

Getting in Touch with the Struer Museum in Denmark

If you would like to get in touch with the Struer Museum in Denmark, here is its information:

Website: https://www.struermuseum.dk/

Address: Søndergade 23, 7600 Struer (Denmark)

Telephone:  +45 97 85 13 11

Email: mail@struermuseum.dk

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