A special invitation from the fairy tale author Hans Christian Andersen has arrived. It came in all the way from Odense, the third-largest city in Denmark with over 4,000 years of history. The city enjoyed prosperous years thanks to active trading, enabled by its major railway network and canal. But many people flock to Odense for reasons other than its rich history. Andersen, who gave us such memorable stories as < The Snow Queen >, < The Little Match Girl > and < The Ugly Duckling >, was born and raised in Odense. And to remember the man who warmed many a young heart, people built a special museum called H.C. Andersen’s House.

This explains why H.C. Andersen’s House has specific objectives for different spaces, such as the museum, the garden and the restaurant. The museum and the garden, in particular, were designed to express the way Andersen thought and spoke. He had his own curiosity and creativity, but at the same time, he was open enough to be inspired by the incredible beautiful surroundings. The arabesque setup, a departure from the ordinary, straight line arrangement, ensures you’ll get a new experience at every turn. The experience doesn’t just stop at seeing a piece of work and moving on; you will continue to see new, amazing things.

Visitors must navigate their own way. In order to recognize which story that they’re being a part of and what particular messages are being delivered by the exhibit in front of them, visitors must remain on their toes. You’ll find yourself become proactive in doing things that you once did while reading fairy tales.

And to allow many people to absorb different forms of expression, the museum searched for artists who wouldn’t be tied down by Andersen’s legacy. In some ways, H.C. Andersen’s House was built to celebrate Andersen and also to discover new contemporary artists who could carry the torch. The museum wasn’t just there to sell souvenirs to gullible tourists; it considered the social responsibility of a museum within the boundaries of art.
Such delicate expansion isn’t confined to the museum. Inside the museum is an eatery run by Meyer’s, which provides food experience inspired by the life of Andersen and his memorable tales. It serves healthy and nutritious meals for children made with fresh local ingredients. The eatery was built to offer visitors the type of happy endings that we see in fairy tales.

When you hear the words ‘art’ and ‘classic,’ maybe you’ll feel forced to study a few things before traveling. People who viewed Andersen’s fairy tales as something to learn from, rather than to enjoy, will most likely feel that pressure. But the museum stresses the importance of accepting the unfamiliar as something new, rather than as something unknown.
“H.C. Andersen’s House is like his fairy tales. There are no clear answers. It’s up to you to interpret those tales,” the museum official said. “You may think you already know the story, but the museum changes constantly. The story changes as you read it over and over again, and as it moves from one reader to the next.”