Arresten

About the museum

On Torvet, the highest point in Faaborg, master builder Jørgen Hansen Lang built a new town hall with a court and jail in 1839–1840; King Christian VIII inaugurated it in September 1840. Even before that, there had been jail cellars beneath the town's older town halls. In 1928, the town council decided on a conversion: the old jail wing was demolished and replaced by a three-story wing facing Strandgade, joined to the town hall in a narrow U shape. The new jail had ten places, including seven single cells, plus an apartment for the jail keeper.

Until 1989, remand prisoners and inmates serving shorter sentences were held here, after which the prison service closed the jail. In 1994, the building passed to the museum service, was renovated, and was listed as a protected building in 1995; the town hall itself has been protected since 1976. Today the complex belongs to the municipality and houses, alongside the prison museum, the tourist office and the town archive.

Arresten is a location of Øhavsmuseet. Over three floors, visitors experience cells, cell corridors, the prison yard covered with wire netting, and the courtroom. Objects, panels, sounds, and digital effects tell of life behind bars in the past and today and invite reflection on law, punishment, and justice. In the basement, the staged experience "Savn og brand" leads with a stable lantern through the fate of a farmhand accused of arson.

Highlights

• Original cells, cell corridors, and prison yard
• Historic courtroom in the listed town hall
• Murder mystery game "Mordet i Arresten" with iPad
• Puzzle game "Knæk koden" for families
• Basement staging "Savn og brand" with a stable lantern

Permanent exhibitions

• Arresten – et liv bag tremmer – A tour through cells, prison yard, and courtroom about life in custody in the past and today and about questions of law and punishment.
• Savn og brand – A staged experience in the basement that, with a lantern in hand, traces the fate of the farmhand Janus up to the arson charge.

Operated by

Øhavsmuseet

Director

Peter Thor Andersen

Admission & discounts

Tickets at the ticket desk or online. School classes have free admission during opening hours (one teacher per class free); outside opening hours DKK 600 per class.

Accessibility

• Partially wheelchair accessible
• Elevator
• Accessible restroom
• Accessible parking
• Service dogs welcome
• Tactile models & exhibits: no information
• Sign language tours: no information
• Easy-to-read materials: no information
• Audio description: no information

The listed jail building has three floors, stairs, narrow cell corridors (85 cm), and cell doors (65 cm). The first floor, courtroom, and second floor can be reached by prior arrangement via the tourist office elevator when it is open. With a walker only with a companion. The accessible restroom on the first floor is in the town archive in the same building; two accessible parking spaces at the gable end of the building. Only service dogs are admitted.

Kids & families

Great for kids & families

• Family tours & workshops
• Activity booklet, scavenger hunt or kids’ audio guide
• Stroller-friendly: not available
• Baby changing facilities

Child-friendly texts and activities: in the puzzle game "Knæk koden," families with children aged 6 to 10 use a large maze map to look for clues in the cells, yard, and courtroom; the iPad murder mystery game "Mordet i Arresten" is aimed at older children and adults. During the fall break there are family tours about escape attempts. Strollers stay in the yard or the cloakroom; baby changing area on request.

Getting there & parking

Arresten is located in the old town hall on the market square (Torvet) in the old town of Faaborg.

Amenities & dining

• Café: not available
• Restaurant: not available
• Museum shop
• Coat check

At the entrance, a kiosk with cold drinks and sweets as well as a museum shop with books, mugs, toys, and games. Eating and drinking are not allowed in the exhibition; cafés and benches on Torvet.

Events & venue rental

• Spaces for rent
• Corporate events

Up to 25 guests.

The historic courtroom can be rented outside school holidays for meetings of 6 to 25 people (DKK 500 per hour).

Plan your visit