Karen Blixen Museum

About the museum

Rungstedlund was originally an inn with a farm, the oldest parts of which date from around 1680; in the 18th century the poets Ludvig Holberg and Johannes Ewald, among others, lived here. The inn business ended in 1803. In 1879 Wilhelm Dinesen, Karen Blixen's father, bought the property. Karen Blixen was born here in 1885, grew up with four siblings and moved in 1914 to British East Africa, present-day Kenya.

After 17 years on her coffee farm, she returned to Rungstedlund in 1931, ill and penniless, where her work as a storyteller – also under the name Isak Dinesen – was written. In 1939 she took over the management of the house. In 1958 she founded the Rungstedlundfonden, transferring her author's rights to it and, together with her siblings, the house and 15 hectares of land; a radio appeal in which about 85,000 listeners each donated one krone helped with this. The grounds were placed under protection in 1973 and secured as a bird sanctuary.

Since 1991 Rungstedlund has been a museum and at the same time the seat of the Danish Academy. The rooms have been preserved as Karen Blixen furnished them and are still decorated with fresh flowers in her style. The former warehouse building houses the entrance, café, museum shop and the Fuglerummet, where an exhibition on Blixen's love of birds has been on view since 2025. After a two-year renovation of the exterior shell, the house reopened in 2024. In the bird sanctuary, under a large beech tree at Ewalds Høj, lies the author's simple grave.

Highlights

• Original furnished rooms with floral decorations in Blixen's style
• Gallery with paintings by Karen Blixen from Africa
• 15-hectare bird sanctuary with the author's grave
• Exhibition in the Fuglerummet about Blixen and birds
• Garden with a view of the Øresund and cutting garden
• Café Madam Carlsen with a view over the pond and bird reserve

Permanent exhibitions

• Forfatterhjemmet – Karen Blixen's living rooms, including the Green Room, Ewald's Room and the fireplace room, in the furnishings she designed, with fresh flower arrangements.
• Fuglerummet – Exhibition shown since 2025 about Blixen's relationship with birds of prey, owls, migratory birds and the nightingale, as well as her fundraising for the bird sanctuary.

Founded

1991

Operated by

Rungstedlundfonden

Director

Jakob Malling Lambert

Admission & discounts

The admission ticket is valid for the rooms and exhibitions. Café Madam Carlsen, museum shop, garden and bird sanctuary are freely accessible. Annual pass holders have free admission.

Accessibility

• Partially wheelchair accessible
• Elevator: not available
• 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 first floor with Karen Blixen's living rooms, gallery and documentary exhibition is wheelchair-accessible via a door from the garden side (via the café terrace), as is the café. The listed building has no elevator; the second floor with the bedroom, Boganis Hall and event rooms can only be reached by stairs. An accessible restroom is located in a black wooden annex near the driveway, about 50 meters from the café terrace. A wheelchair can be borrowed.

Kids & families

Great for kids & families

• Family tours & workshops
• Activity booklet, scavenger hunt or kids’ audio guide

Families are expressly welcome: bookable children's and family tours (30 minutes), a treasure hunt for little ones and Blixen's safari game, workshops and nature activities during the holidays. An audio tour for children leads through the house and bird sanctuary. The exhibition in the Fuglerummet with stuffed birds, feathers and eggs is also aimed at children. Children under 18 take part in activities free of charge.

Getting there & parking

Amenities & dining

• Café
• Museum shop

Café Madam Carlsen (Tue–Thu 11:00–19:00, Fri–Mon 11:00–17:00, kitchen until 16:30) with a view over the pond and bird sanctuary; table reservations possible. Museum shop with Blixen's books in many languages, design and gift items, accessible without admission.

Events & venue rental

• Spaces for rent
• Private parties
• Corporate events
• Weddings / ceremonies

Under the name "Rungstedlund Venue," the museum rents out its rooms and garden for weddings, meetings, celebrations and photo shoots.

Plan your visit