Kulturmuseet

About the museum

The roots of Vejle's museums go back to 1898, when the estate owner and collector Christian Eckardt gave the town his large collection of artworks, coins, and antiquities. In the 1970s, the holdings were divided between an independent cultural history museum and an art museum. In 2012, both institutions came together again, along with Vingsted Historiske Værksted, under the roof of the municipal Vejlemuseerne.

The following year, the new exhibition spaces in the Spinderihallerne opened. The building complex was part of the cotton mill that had been founded in 1892 as the first of its kind in Denmark and earned Vejle the nickname of a Danish Manchester. After yarn production ended, a cultural and commercial center emerged here, in which the museum now sits alongside a café, workshops, and event rooms; the administration of the Vejlemuseerne is also located here.

The museum tells Danish history from Vejle's perspective, from the Iron Age to the recent past. Its best-known object is the bog body from the Haraldskær bog, discovered in 1835, which was on display in Skt. Nicolai Kirke until 2012 and is exhibited on loan from the parish. Other permanent exhibitions cover the villages and warrior culture of the Iron Age, industrialization and working life, and the nightlife of 1990 to 2010, starting from the first Crazy Daisy discotheque, which opened in Vejle in 1991. All exhibitions have activities for children, and admission is free.

Highlights

• Bog body Haraldskærkvinden, one of the best-preserved in the world
• Eight-meter-long excavation box with a metal detector for children
• Industrial history in Denmark's first cotton mill
• Exhibition on nightlife 1990–2010 around Crazy Daisy
• Historic play room "Asen og Masen" with a crane and stilts
• Free admission

Permanent exhibitions

• Haraldskærkvinden – A staging around the Iron Age bog body from the Haraldskær bog near Vejle, found in 1835. Visitors enter a recreated bog and learn what is known about the woman and her fate.
• Landsbyerne opstår – Finds from Iron Age settlements, graves, and sacrificial sites around Vejle show farming daily life and warrior culture. Children can dig for themselves in an eight-meter-long excavation box.
• På arbejde – The exhibition shows how industrialization changed Vejle with cotton mills and an iron foundry, and tells of working life, labor disputes, and leisure.

Founded

2013

Operated by

Vejlemuseerne (Vejle Kommune)

Admission & discounts

Admission is free.

Admission is always free; some openings, events, and workshops charge admission.

Accessibility

• Wheelchair accessible
• Elevator: no information
• 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

According to the museum, easily accessible for wheelchair users and people with limited mobility.

Kids & families

Great for kids & families

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

All exhibitions offer activities for children: in the large excavation box, you can uncover skeletons and search for treasure with the metal detector; with the culture suitcase, families explore the exhibitions; and in the play room "Asen og Masen," you play and work the way people used to. At the activity table in the shop, you can get creative with craft kits you buy; programs are offered during school holidays.

Getting there & parking

Amenities & dining

• Café
• Restaurant: not available
• Museum shop

Coffee is available in the museum shop. The café of the Spinderihallerne sells food, cake, and coffee on weekdays (closed on weekends, public holidays, and during some school holidays). Food you bring yourself may be eaten at the tables in the hall.

Events & venue rental

As far as we know, the museum does not rent out spaces for external events.

The Vejlemuseerne rent out rooms only at other locations (Vingsted Mølle, Randbøldalmuseet, Vingsted).

Plan your visit