Museum Silkeborg Blicheregnen
Museum in Thorning about the poet St. St. Blicher, the Battle of Grathe Hede in 1157, country life in the 19th century, and with a large bird collection.
About the museum
The museum is located in Thorning, where the poet Steen Steensen Blicher was pastor from 1819 to 1825 and wrote his best-known novella. It is housed in the former farm buildings and the tenant's residence of the parsonage, whose farming operation ended in late 1975. Its predecessors were three small private local museums in Hinge, Kjellerup, and Thorning; the Thorning museum had been housed since the 1930s in the half-timbered house E Thueninghus.
Supported by great local commitment – a museum association was founded in 1976 – the then Kjellerup Municipality opened the Blicheregnens Museum on August 25, 1979. In 1980 the Knappe bird collection was added, and in 1991 state recognition. E Thueninghus has served since 1992 as a historical workshop for school classes and groups, and an extension created space for special exhibitions. Since 2009, the house has belonged to Museum Silkeborg.
The permanent exhibitions combine literature, natural history, and cultural history: keepsakes and first editions of Blicher, the rural life of the heath with stocking knitters and Potato Germans, finds from the Stone Age to modern times, and an animal collection with over 400 birds. In 2019, an exhibition on the Battle of Grathe Hede in 1157 was added, which ended the civil war between Svend, Knud, and Valdemar. Since 2020, the Grathe Monumentet at Grathe Kapel near Hauge Sø has opened up the site in the landscape.
Highlights
- First editions and personal belongings of St. St. Blicher
- Exhibition on the Battle of Grathe Hede in 1157 with a children's trail
- Country life in the 19th century and the Koloniststuen cottages of the Potato Germans
- Animal collection with more than 400 birds
- Grathe Monumentet at the site of the battle, freely accessible
- Medieval Days with market in May
Permanent exhibitions
- Blicher og hans verden – First editions, keepsakes, and everyday objects tell of Blicher as poet, pastor, hunter, and citizen and of the world that shaped his work.
- Kampen om Magten – slaget på Grathe Hede – Civil war, regicide, and power struggle in the 12th century up to the decisive battle of 1157, with a reconstructed church interior of the Grathe Chapel and hands-on stations.
- Bønderne på Blicheregnen – Everyday life of the rural population in the 19th century – cooking, school, clothing, stocking knitting, and life on the margins of society.
- Founded
- 1979
- Operated by
- Museum Silkeborg
- Director
- Ole Nielsen
Admission & discounts
| Adults | DKK 65 |
|---|---|
| Children & teens | freefree up to age 17 · Children and teenagers under 18 have free admission. |
| Groups (10+ people) | DKK 55 per personPrice per person for 10 or more people. |
| Museum pass (all houses of Museum Silkeborg) | DKK 160Valid for Hovedgården, Blicheregnen, Papirmuseet, and the Arbejderbolig (worker's dwelling). |
Prices since January 1, 2025; increased admission during the Medieval Days. The joint ticket for Museum Jorn, KunstCentret Silkeborg Bad, and Hovedgården is not valid here. Painting a knight's shield in summer DKK 50.
Accessibility
The museum hasn’t published any information on this – please ask the museum directly.
Kids & families
Great for kids & families
| Kids’ admission | free up to age 17 |
|---|
- Family tours & workshops
- Activity booklet, scavenger hunt or kids’ audio guide
- Hands-on stations
In the Grathe Hede exhibition, children can try on armor, feel the weight of a sword, search for hidden panels, and play a dilemma game; in summer they can paint their own knight's shield. In the exhibition on the 19th century, children help little Steen with various tasks. Every year in May, Medieval Days with a market take place.
Getting there & parking
By car
Free parking
Free parking at the museum and at the church opposite; buses can park at the museum or the church.
From Silkeborg via Highway 52 toward Viborg, from Viborg and Herning via the A13 to Thorning.
Get directionsAmenities & dining
- Museum shop
Coffee room where food you bring yourself may be eaten, in good weather also in the museum garden; for groups coffee by advance order. Museum shop with books on Blicher, the Middle Ages, heath life, and handicrafts as well as postcards, jewelry, horn and pottery goods, and knight's equipment for children.
Events & venue rental
The museum hasn’t published any information on this – please ask the museum directly.
Plan your visit
| Guided tours | yes · approx. 45 min |
|---|---|
| School programs | yes |
| Good to know | Guided tours (45–50 minutes, up to about 20 people) on Blicher, the Battle of Grathe Hede, and country life in the 19th century: DKK 650 on weekdays during opening hours, DKK 850 on weekends or outside opening hours; coffee with pastry DKK 35 per person. Guided hikes (approx. 2 hours, up to 30 people) DKK 1,200 or DKK 1,400, plus excursions and lectures. Booking at info@blicheregnensmuseum.dk or +45 87 20 50 30. School programs for all grade levels, partly in the half-timbered house E Thueninghus. |
