Energimuseet

About the museum

The Energimuseet is located in Tange on the Gudenå, where the Gudenaacentralen went into operation in 1921 – still Denmark's largest hydroelectric power station, which in the 1920s covered about a quarter of Jutland's electricity needs. For the reservoir Tange Sø, the valley was flooded over more than 600 hectares; an 800-meter-long dam holds the water back. The power station and staff housing were designed by the Viborg architect Søren Vig-Nielsen.

The founding of the museum was initiated in 1982 by the writer Peter Seeberg; on August 27, 1984, it opened as Elmuseet. In 1989 the assembly hall of the Tjæreborg windmill was converted into Elektricitetens Hus, and in 1994 Claus Bonderup designed the new main building. Gradually, historic wind turbines such as the Riisager, the Gedser, and, in 2022, the Vindeby mill were added. Since 2002 the museum has been state-recognized, and since 2011 it has been called Energimuseet. After a major downsizing in 2023 and a year of minimal operation, it reopened in 2025 with full seasonal operation.

As a nationwide specialist museum for the history of electricity and heat, it shows the generation of electricity from the steam engine to nuclear power, electrical appliances and communication technology, the history of Danish wind power, and green-transition topics such as Power-to-X and solar energy. Highlights include the machine hall with three roughly 100-year-old generators and the Niels Bohr Tower with a Van de Graaff generator from 1953, which contributed to the research of Aage Bohr and Ben Mottelson that led to the 1975 Nobel Prize, as well as two Tesla coils for lightning bolts several meters long.

Highlights

• Machine hall of the Tangeværket with three generators from 1921
• Niels Bohr Tower with Van de Graaff generator and lightning shows by the Tesla coils
• Historic wind turbines such as the Gedser, Riisager, and Vindeby mills
• "Højt hår" show with 220,000 volts of static electricity
• Elektricitetens Hus with a steam engine from 1895 and the GIER computer
• 800 m long dam at Tange Sø

Permanent exhibitions

• Elektricitetens Hus – Three floors on electricity generation, everyday electricity consumption, and electrical communication from the telegraph to the computer – with a steam engine from 1895 and a green-screen studio.
• Som vinden blæser (Vindenergiens Hus) – How wind is created and how Denmark became a wind power country from Poul la Cour's experiments to today, with a technical section and hands-on experiments.
• Tangeværket – Machine hall of Denmark's largest hydroelectric power station with three generators from the time of construction, plus an exhibition on hydropower and turbine types.

Founded

1984

Operated by

Energimuseet (selbstständige, staatlich anerkannte Institution)

Director

Simon Olling Rebsdorf

Visitors per year

approx. 19,436 (2025)

Admission & discounts

Members of Dansk El-Forbund have free admission. School classes in lessons accompanied by a teacher free.

Accessibility

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

Certified with the "God Adgang" mark. Elevator in Elektricitetens Hus to the exhibitions on the second and third floors; the generator hall of the Tangeværket is only partially accessible for wheelchair users.

Kids & families

Great for kids & families

• Family tours & workshops
• Activity booklet, scavenger hunt or kids’ audio guide
• Hands-on stations

For the youngest there is an H. C. Ørsted treasure hunt with a map (at the ticket desk, small prize for solving it). Many hands-on stations, such as a landscape with mini wind turbines and turbine models. For the "Højt hår" show, anyone at least 1 m tall may take part (not with a pacemaker).

Getting there & parking

On the Gudenå at Tange Sø between Bjerringbro and Kongensbro. Canoe trips on the Gudenå can start at the museum; the return is via the towpath (Pramdragerstien).

Amenities & dining

• Café

Café in the main building with panini, snacks, cake, and drinks: weekdays 11:00–14:00, on weekends, during holidays, and on public holidays 11:00–15:00. Outside food allowed indoors and at outdoor picnic areas.

Events & venue rental

• Spaces for rent
• Corporate events

Meeting packages for at least 10 people between 8:00 and 16:00 (half day from DKK 205, full day from DKK 425 per person plus VAT), with tours, shows, or team building on request; also company outings with catering.

Plan your visit