Poul la Cour Museet
Museum in the experimental station in Askov about the inventor Poul la Cour, who built Denmark's first electricity-generating windmill here in 1891.
About the museum
Poul la Cour (1846–1908) was a meteorologist, a teacher at Askov Højskole, and a versatile inventor who was given the nickname "Denmark's Edison." To research hydrogen as an energy source for lighting, he needed electricity; in 1891 he therefore had an experimental mill built in Askov, which is considered Denmark's first electricity-generating windmill.
In 1897 a larger experimental mill with a research station followed, designed by the architect P. V. Jensen-Klint. In a wind tunnel he built himself, la Cour tested blade profiles and thereby laid foundations for Danish wind power. The mill supplied electricity until 1958; its upper structure burned down in 1929 and was demolished in 1968.
In 2000 the Poul la Cour Fonden was founded with the aim of preserving the experimental station and setting up a museum, which opened in 2001. It uses the original laboratory rooms next to the experimental mill and shows la Cour's tools, instruments, and experimental setups, photos and documents, as well as school desks from the 1880s. School classes now use the reconstructed wind tunnel and other experimental apparatus for their own experiments.
Highlights
- Original laboratory rooms at Denmark's first electricity-generating windmill
- Reconstructed wind tunnel for blade experiments
- Poul la Cour's tools, instruments, and experimental setups
- School desks from the 1880s
- Personal guided tours, also in English or German
- Founded
- 2001
- Operated by
- Poul la Cour Fonden
Admission & discounts
The museum hasn’t published any information on this – please ask the museum directly.
Accessibility
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Kids & families
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Getting there & parking
By car
Bus parking available.
Amenities & dining
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Events & venue rental
The museum hasn’t published any information on this – please ask the museum directly.
Plan your visit
| Guided tours | yes · approx. 1.5 hrs |
|---|---|
| School programs | yes |
| Good to know | Tours are adapted to each group, by default in Danish, in English or German on request; up to 25 people per group. Coffee and cake can be pre-ordered. Payment in cash or with MobilePay. |
