Malergården

About the museum

The painter Sigurd Swane (1879–1973) moved in 1934 with his wife Agnete and their children Hanne, Henrik, and Gerda from Hellerup to the countryside in Plejerup on the Lammefjord. Agnete Swane (1893–1994) had designed the farm herself – as an architect without training and against her father's advice. It had room for a studio, a schoolroom, and a small farm and was meant to give the family a life close to nature with space for art and guests.

The house remained largely as it was built in 1934. In the rooms the pictures hang close together, including Sigurd Swane's family portrait "Emigranterne" from 1935. Shortly before her death, the daughter Gerda Swane bequeathed the farm to Odsherreds Kunstmuseum, and in 2005 it opened as a museum. Today Malergården belongs to Museum Vestsjælland.

In 2022 the main house was renovated with support from Odsherred Municipality and a regional LAG program, so the museum has been able to open year-round since then. In the same year, foundation funds made it possible to secure and conserve the furnishings and artworks.

Visitors see the dining room, studio, the red and blue parlors, garden room, kitchen, the children's rooms upstairs, and the room named after Valdemar Rørdam. In the side wing is the picture school, where guests can paint and draw themselves. Around the farm extends a garden with dahlia beds, boxwood hedges, apple trees, and a viewpoint over the meadows to the fjord.

Highlights

• Almost unchanged artists' home from 1934, designed by Agnete Swane
• Paintings by Sigurd Swane and his family in their original setting
• Studio, parlors, and children's rooms with original furnishings
• Picture school for painting yourself with free materials
• Garden with dahlias, apple trees, and a view over the Lammefjord

Permanent exhibitions

• Malergården – Tour through the Swane family's home with original furnishings and densely hung paintings, mainly by Sigurd Swane. On view are, among others, the dining room, studio, the colored parlors, and the children's rooms.

Founded

2005

Operated by

Museum Vestsjælland

Admission & discounts

The admission ticket is valid as an annual pass for one year from purchase and is available in the museum shop. Members of the local museum association free, members of other associations of Museum Vestsjælland pay half price. Daycare centers, schools, and educational institutions with their accompanying staff have free admission.

Accessibility

• Wheelchair accessible: not available
• Elevator: no information
• Accessible restroom
• Accessible parking: no information
• Service dogs welcome
• Tactile models & exhibits: no information
• Sign language tours: no information
• Easy-to-read materials: no information
• Audio description: no information

The first floor is easily accessible for people with walking difficulties; according to the museum, it is not suitable for wheelchair users. Accessible toilet in the visitor center. Certified assistance dogs with visible identification are welcome.

Kids & families

Great for kids & families

• Activity booklet, scavenger hunt or kids’ audio guide
• Hands-on stations

With the free booklet "I Swanebørnenes fodspor" from the museum shop, families explore how the Swane children lived on the farm. In the studio and the picture school, children can create their own pictures with free materials.

Getting there & parking

The museum lies at the end of a narrow, single-lane gravel road with deep ditches; drive slowly and use the passing places.

Amenities & dining

• Café
• Restaurant: not available
• Museum shop

Café with small lunch dishes, cake, ice cream, and drinks, indoors or in the courtyard. Museum shop with art books, posters, crafts, sweets, and toys.

Events & venue rental

• Spaces for rent

Larger groups can book the lecture hall for events; inquiries via Museum Vestsjælland.

Plan your visit