Marstal Søfartsmuseum

About the museum

In the 19th and early 20th centuries, Marstal on the island of Ærø had one of the largest merchant fleets in provincial Denmark, first with sailing ships, later with steamers and coastal motor vessels. From 1825 skippers expanded the harbor with its long stone mole through their own labor. Out of this tradition the maritime museum was founded in 1929; in 1959 it received state recognition. To this day it is strongly supported by volunteers and a museum association with around 1,200 members.

The museum on Prinsensgade has grown over the years into several exhibition buildings with numerous rooms. The collection includes more than 200 ship models – among them the large self-built models by Lorens Hansen –, over 130 ships in bottles, several hundred ship portraits, and an extensive body of works by the marine and Greenland painter Carl Rasmussen, who lived and worked in Marstal. There are also souvenirs the sailors brought back from around the world, a shipyard room, and a regional and shipping archive.

The museum also includes Eriksens Plads with the historic shipyard and a still usable slipway, as well as a small fleet of seaworthy boats, such as the fishing kvase Anne Karoline from 1900. In part of the former Marstal Motorfabrik on Havnegade, the engine collection shows ship engines from local production.

Highlights

• Over 200 ship models and more than 130 ships in bottles
• Paintings and sketches by the marine painter Carl Rasmussen
• Wheelhouse of the coaster DORA where you can steer yourself
• Curiosities that sailors brought back from around the world
• Eriksens Plads with historic shipyard and museum boats
• Engine collection with an engine started weekly

Permanent exhibitions

• Modelskibssamlingen – Large, self-built ship models by Lorens Hansen as well as ship portraits by the Marstal captain and painter H. A. Hansen.
• Carl Rasmussen – Paintings and sketches by the marine and Greenland painter, who had his studio in Marstal; a screen shows how sketches became finished paintings.
• Doras styrehus – Wheelhouse of a small coastal motor vessel of the 1950s with radar, echo sounder, and engine noise; below deck the salon and the skipper's cabin.

Founded

1929

Director

Mads B. K. Kromann

Visitors per year

approx. 74,474 (2017)

Admission & discounts

With an admission ticket from Søbygaard, DKK 20 is deducted from admission (cannot be combined with the group discount).

Accessibility

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

Kids & families

Great for kids & families

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

Children can solve activity sheets or discover seafaring with the "Søfartsbogen" and the character Anker – at the end they receive a seafaring book, a tattoo, and a sailor name. In the wheelhouse of the coaster DORA you can take the helm yourself. In the museum courtyard lies the play ship Martha, plus a playground and picnic tables.

Getting there & parking

Amenities & dining

• Museum shop

Museum shop and kiosk with its own publications; also a web shop. In the museum courtyard there are tables and chairs for bringing your own food.

Events & venue rental

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

Plan your visit