Hudevad Smedjemuseum

About the museum

The village forge in Hudevad dates from 1907; an older forge from the 1850s stood directly across from it. At first horses were shod here and plows and wagons built; over time the art forge became the focus. Master blacksmith Hans Rasmussen II (1882–1975), known in the village simply as "Mester", took over the business in 1909. He became known nationwide through the Odense reunification fountain "Brønden" of 1920; after that he made chandeliers, lamps, and altar railings of iron and brass for churches and manor houses.

The Hudevad radiator factory grew out of the forge in 1936. Its flat PLAN radiator became a trademark; in the 1970s over 300 people worked at the plant, and in 1990 about 80 percent of production went to export. In 2004 Ribe Jernindustri took over the company and moved production to Ribe in 2007. The forge itself had already been closed in 1971.

In 2006 the new owner donated the forge to the nature area operator Tarup-Davinde I/S, with the condition of conveying cultural history there. A donation from the A.P. Møller Fonden financed the renovation of the forge and the first machine hall of 1931 as well as a permanent exhibition. The museum opened on August 14, 2009.

It is run by Tarup-Davinde I/S, an association of Odense and Faaborg-Midtfyn Kommune, together with the friends' association Hudevad Smedjes Venner, whose members include many former blacksmiths and machine workers of the factory. They stand at the forge and anvil every Thursday morning and still take on commissions for churches and private individuals today.

Highlights

• Working village forge from 1907 with fire in the forge
• Forge your own under guidance (by arrangement)
• Art blacksmith works by Hans Rasmussen II in brass and wrought iron
• History of the Hudevad radiator factory and its PLAN radiator
• Exhibition in the factory's first machine hall from 1931

Permanent exhibitions

• Fra landsbysmedje til international industrivirksomhed – The permanent exhibition in the 1931 machine hall traces, with pictures, texts, and original objects, the path from village forge to export-strong radiator factory, including splendid art blacksmith works.
• Smedjen – The 1907 forge is a working workshop in which volunteers demonstrate the old craft and visitors can try it themselves.

Founded

2009

Operated by

Tarup-Davinde I/S (Odense und Faaborg-Midtfyn Kommune) mit Hudevad Smedjes Venner

Admission & discounts

Admission is free at the Advent market.

Accessibility

• Wheelchair accessible
• Elevator
• Accessible restroom
• 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

The museum has an accessibility lift and an accessible restroom.

Kids & families

Great for kids & families

• Hands-on stations

In the forge, children and adults can forge their own under guidance. Children under 16 have free admission.

Getting there & parking

The museum is located in the village of Hudevad near Årslev on Funen.

Amenities & dining

At the Advent market, a café with coffee and blacksmith pancakes.

Events & venue rental

The museum hasn’t published any information on this – please ask the museum directly.

Plan your visit