Ribe Kunstmuseum

About the museum

The museum opened in 1891 and is thus among the oldest art museums in the country. Behind its founding was an art association that wanted to educate citizens through art; in the border town the project was at the same time an expression of Danish sentiment. Until 1988 the board of the art association ran the museum on a voluntary basis, only then was professional staff added, and in 2007 the association and the museum were formally separated.

From the very beginning the collection has resided in the villa of the cotton manufacturer Balthazar Giørtz on the Ribe Å. The architect L.A. Winstrup designed the house, completed in 1864, in the so-called Rosenborg style with red bricks, sandstone bands and curved gables. The romantically laid-out garden with a pavilion from 1859 was redesigned in 2010 and received a garden wall by the artist Per Kirkeby.

The collection offers a concentrated overview of Danish painting from about 1750 to 1940: from Jens Juel and Nicolai Abildgaard through the painters of the Golden Age such as Eckersberg and Købke to the Skagen painters, L.A. Ring, Vilhelm Hammershøi and early modernism. Many major works came as donations, above all from the Ny Carlsbergfondet. Today the museum is an independent, state-recognized institution supported by Esbjerg Kommune and the state.

Highlights

• Danish painting from 1750 to 1940 with Guldalder (Golden Age) galleries
• Works by Eckersberg, Købke, Anna and Michael Ancher, Krøyer and Hammershøi
• Nicolai Abildgaard's "Jupiter vejer menneskenes skæbne" (1793)
• Manufacturer's villa from 1864 in the Rosenborg style
• Public museum garden with a wall by Per Kirkeby

Permanent exhibitions

• Den faste samling 1750–1940 – Major works of Danish painting from the late 18th century through the Golden Age and the Skagen painters to early modernism.

Founded

1891

Operated by

Ribe Kunstmuseum (selbstständige Institution)

Director

Anne-Mette Villumsen

Visitors per year

approx. 41,842 (2017)

Admission & discounts

School classes always have free admission.

Accessibility

• Wheelchair accessible
• Elevator
• Accessible restroom
• Accessible parking
• Service dogs welcome
• Tactile models & exhibits: no information
• Sign language tours: no information
• Easy-to-read materials: no information
• Audio description: no information

An elevator connects the three levels. Accessible parking spaces behind the west end of the building; wheelchair users and people with walking difficulties use the entrance by the café (doorbell). Walkers available to borrow at the ticket desk. Assistance dogs should be identifiable and registered in advance. Further information at godadgang.dk.

Kids & families

Great for kids & families

• Family tours & workshops
• Hands-on stations
• Playground / play area

Studio in the basement with pencils, paper and games as well as a small children's cave with books, a giant puzzle and toys; during school holidays free creative workshops for children and their adults. For 15- to 25-year-olds there is the free offering "Ungt Atelier".

Getting there & parking

In the middle of Ribe, about 100 m from the tourist information office and the pedestrian zone.

Amenities & dining

• Café
• Museum shop
• Lockers

Small museum café with coffee, cake as well as beer and water from local breweries, in summer ice cream and seating in the garden; currently self-service on weekdays, food brought from outside is not allowed. Bags larger than A4 go into free lockers in the basement. Museum shop with art books, catalogs, posters and crafts.

Events & venue rental

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

Plan your visit