Tirpitz
Museum by BIG in the dunes near Blåvand with an Atlantic Wall bunker, west coast history and Denmark's largest amber collection.
About the museum
In the summer of 1944, the German occupying forces began building the Tirpitz Stellung near Blåvand, which, as part of the Atlantic Wall, was meant to secure the approach to Esbjerg with heavy naval guns. At the end of the war, the two large gun bunkers were largely complete as shells, but the guns were never installed. Since 1991, the southern bunker had served as a small museum.
In 2012 the decision was made to build a comprehensive new building. The architecture firm BIG (Bjarke Ingels Group) designed a building that is buried in the protected dune landscape and is barely visible from the outside; the client was the Museet for Varde By og Omegn. On June 29, 2017, Crown Prince Frederik opened the new museum, which now belongs to Vardemuseerne.
From the new complex, an underground tunnel leads into the old gun bunker with its 3.5-meter-thick concrete walls. Three permanent exhibitions tell of the Atlantic Wall and the people on the west coast during the Second World War, of 20,000 years of coastal history with shipwrecks and beach plunderers, and of amber, with inclusions of insects about 40 million years old. Instead of text panels, the museum relies on an audio guide with stories told by actors in Danish, German and English, which is included in the admission.
Highlights
- Architecture by BIG embedded in the dunes
- Walk-through gun bunker of the Atlantic Wall
- Amber exhibition "Havets guld"
- Exhibition "En hær af beton" with personal war stories
- Audio guide in Danish, German and English included
Permanent exhibitions
- En hær af beton – In a landscape of bunkers, people from the west coast tell how they experienced the Second World War and the building of the Atlantic Wall.
- Den skjulte Vestkyst – Stories from 20,000 years of the west coast – of shipwrecks, amber treasures and dramatic fates, staged around an old lifeboat.
- Havets guld – Amber exhibition in a re-created amber forest with pieces of jewelry and insect inclusions millions of years old.
- Founded
- 2017
- Operated by
- Vardemuseerne
Admission & discounts
| Adults | DKK 170 |
|---|---|
| Children & teens | freefree up to age 17 · Under 18 free when accompanied by an adult. |
| Visitors with disabilities | –companion free · Companions with a Ledsagerkort free. |
| Groups (10+ people) | DKK 135 per personFor 10 or more paying people; groups of 15 or more should register their visit in advance with the Vardemuseerne administration. Schools and daycare centers free (with registration). |
| 14-day ticket Vardemuseerne | DKK 349Admission to all Vardemuseerne, including FLUGT, Blåvandshuk Fyr and Nymindegab Museum. |
| Annual pass Vardemuseerne | DKK 449Personal, for all Vardemuseerne. |
| Annual pass 1+1 | DKK 649Pass holder plus one companion. |
Day tickets are purchased on arrival at the museum; the audio guide is included. ICOM and ODM members free. A day ticket can be upgraded on site to an annual pass or a 14-day pass.
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
A concrete path leads from parking lot P1 through the dunes to the entrance; passenger elevator at the ticket desk, accessible restrooms near the café and in the exhibitions. The 1945 bunker is not accessible, though the basement level can usually be reached by wheelchair with assistance. For people with hearing impairments, the audio texts are available in writing, and an induction loop can be borrowed. Other dogs must stay outside (dog crate available to borrow).
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
- Stroller-friendly
- Baby changing facilities
Children's trails in the exhibitions: touch holes in "Den skjulte Vestkyst," Astrid's bunker and a secret room just for children in "En hær af beton," and a dress-up chest for the amber hunt in "Havets guld." An activity booklet accompanies the audio guide. Strollers are allowed, and changing facilities for mothers and fathers are available. Family activities take place during the holidays.
Getting there & parking
By car
Free parking
Free: P1 with 80 spaces including accessible parking spaces on Tane Hedevej in front of the museum, P2 with about 200 spaces on Gl. Mælkevej (signposted). Stopping and parking are prohibited along Tane Hedevej. Bus parking west of P1 for drop-off and pick-up only.
- Accessible parking
Amenities & dining
- Café
- Restaurant: not available
- Museum shop
- Lockers
Tirpitz Café with dishes, cakes and ice cream made mostly from local ingredients, also in the courtyard on warm days; food you bring only outdoors at tables near the bunker. Free lockers with a code of your choice. Museum shop with books on the Second World War, amber jewelry and design, accessible without admission.
Events & venue rental
Special openings for groups of 20 or more are possible (minimum 2 hours, DKK 1,500 per hour or part thereof, plus group admission).
Plan your visit
| Guided tours | yes · approx. 60 min |
|---|---|
| Audio guide | yes (DA, DE, EN) |
| School programs | yes |
| Photography | Photography for private purposes allowed; commercial recordings only by written agreement. |
| Good to know | All exhibitions are accessed via an audio guide that children as young as about 2 can operate; your own headphones with a jack plug can be used. Group offers: guided tour (approx. 1 hour) DKK 1,500, introduction (approx. 30 minutes) DKK 1,000, in each case plus admission; landscape tour in the dunes (1.5–2 hours) DKK 1,500. Booking via the Vardemuseerne administration. On Saturdays, during holidays and in high season, expect crowds. Educational programs via NaturKulturVarde. |
