Tegners Museum og Statuepark

About the museum

The sculptor Rudolph Tegner (1873–1950) discovered a rugged heathland area near Dronningmølle, popularly called "Rusland," in 1916 on a bicycle tour through North Zealand. He bought land there, which later grew to 34 Tønder, and set up the group "Kong Ødipus og Antigone" as the first bronze. Tegner, shaped by antiquity, Symbolism, and Michelangelo, often met with rejection in Denmark for his pathos-laden works and therefore wanted to secure his oeuvre in a museum of his own.

In 1937–38, as client and architect together with the engineer Ernest Ishøj, he built the museum in concrete cast on site, one of the earliest surviving buildings in Denmark to use concrete both structurally and as a design element. At its core is an octagonal, eleven-meter-high hall with a skylight; of the planned surrounding halls, only two were built. The project was made possible mainly by the fortune of his wife Elna. Tegner is buried beneath the floor of the central hall, and Elna's urn is in the base of the Apollon statue.

Because Tegner hardly ever sold his originals, the museum owns most of his output with 335 works, mainly plaster originals, plus individual works in marble and bronze as well as paintings. In the surrounding Statuepark stand 14 bronzes, many of them from the unfinished large-scale project "Livets Port." The museum belongs to a legat (endowment) established by Rudolph and Elna Tegner, was extensively restored in 2000, and receives an annual grant from Gribskov Municipality.

Highlights

• Octagonal, eleven-meter-high concrete hall with a skylight
• 335 works by Rudolph Tegner, mostly plaster originals
• Statuepark with 14 bronzes in the heath, accessible year-round
• Parts of the monumental project "Livets Port"
• The artist's grave beneath the floor of the central hall

Permanent exhibitions

• Den faste samling – Sculptures by Rudolph Tegner, mostly plaster originals, in the octagonal main hall and two side halls.
• Statueparken – 14 bronze sculptures by Tegner in the heathland around the museum with a view of the sea.

Founded

1938

Director

Luise Gomard

Admission & discounts

The Statuepark is free to enter.

Accessibility

• Wheelchair accessible
• 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

Wheelchair ramp at the museum entrance, the entire exhibition is wheelchair-accessible. Accessible restroom (door width 90 cm) at the Traktørstedet. Terrain around the museum is hilly, the Statuepark slightly sloping. Only assistance dogs in the museum; in the Statuepark, dogs are allowed on a leash from November to May only.

Kids & families

Children and young people under 18 accompanied by adults have free admission; the museum lists no dedicated family programs.

Getting there & parking

The museum is located in the Villingerød district. VisitNordsjælland includes the museum in a three-day cycling route through North Zealand.

Amenities & dining

• Café
• Museum shop

Sørens Café (Traktørstedet) with coffee, cake, toasts, and sandwiches, about 18 seats indoors and 30 outdoors; open April/May and September/October Fri–Sun 12:00–17:00, June–August Tue–Sun 12:00–17:00, in week 42 Tue–Sun 12:00–16:30. Outside food is not allowed; groups of about 4–6 people or more should pre-order. Museum shop with books, posters, and plaster casts of Tegner sculptures.

Events & venue rental

Photo and film shoots for commercial purposes in the museum or park only with written permission from the museum management.

Plan your visit