About Museum Horsens
Museum Horsens is a government-approved museum. The museum handles the focused management of collections, as well as active research and dissemination within its areas of responsibility.
Museum Horsens exhibits in three buildings: Horsens Museum, the Prison Museum and Horsens Art Museum.
From an organisational viewpoint, Museum Horsens comprises three departments: Horsens Art Museum, the Archaeological Department and the Historical Department. The latter comprises the Prison Museum, Horsens Museum and the City Archives.
Horsens has an exciting past and present - and a promising future. Museum Horsens utilises and exposes this in new ways, based on good stories and with a purpose of strengthening the identities and self-perception of residents and visitors alike. The hybrid character of the museum is actively exploited both in the internal collaboration and in the activities on offer.
The overall areas of responsibility Museum Horsens are:
- The area of responsibility of Horsens Art Museum is Danish visual art after the year 1800 with the main emphasis being on the period after the year 1900. As far as the period before circa 1980 is concerned, the area of responsibility is primarily artists already represented in the museum's collections. After circa 1980, the area of responsibility is primarily contemporary experimental art. Now and in the future, the focus of Horsens Art Museum is and will be on the period after 1980 with a focus on the present.
- Archaeology and recent cultural history within the Horsens Municipality.
- Particular emphasis is placed on the history and punishment throughout the ages as well as on the stories and expeditions of the Danish explorer Vitus Bering.
Horsens Museum
"To awaken and maintain the Sense of Art and historical Memories". Such was the purpose when the association Museumsforeningen i Horsens was founded in 1906.
In March 1906, a group of Horsensians formed the association which became the forerunner of Horsens Museum. The purpose was then phrased as "Awakening and maintaining the Sense of Art and historical Memories".
Until 1986, the museum therefore housed both art and cultural history which originally were exhibited in leased premises at the Technical College.
Thanks to an endowment in the will of Chief Pilot Theodor Løwenstein, the museum building at Sundvej could be built and was inaugurated in October 1915.
During more than a century-old history of Horsens Museum, the museum has dealt with many topics.
Archaeologists from the museum have been involved in local excavations as well as in the search for the final resting place of Vitus Bering on Bering Island off the east coast of Russia.
At the same time, the museum has had a myriad of exhibitions and, over time, the collection has grown to more than 25,000 objects – to which should be added the many thousands of archaeological finds.
Archaeology
The Museum Horsens archaeologists work to uncover and secure the historical knowledge and ancient monuments, hidden under the ground of Horsens Municipality.
The museum is involved in the physical planning of construction projects. Already in the consultation phase in connection with municipal plans, local plans and the like, the municipality must involve the local museum responsible for archaeology, to allow that museum to carry out an archival inspection, which ensures that the presence of ancient monuments is taken into account in further planning.
No later than in connection with the issuance of a building permit, the municipality must notify the museum of the permit and notify the builder of the provisions of the Danish Museums Act.
Museum Horsens also receives detector finds and national relics known as danefæ. If you have found something of archaeological interest, then visit the website of the National Museum of Denmark, where the catalogue of national relics will guide you through what is a national relic and what is not.
The Prison Museum
The Prison Museum is located in the old Horsens State Penitentiary. From 1853 to 2006, a countless number of male prisoners served their sentences behind the thick prison walls. Today, the prison buildings serve as a museum, among other things.
Step into the prison corridors and let the atmosphere of the old buildings engulf you. Experience the stories of life in prison at the exhibitions in the museum. For instance, an 18-meter long underground escape tunnel.
The Prison Museum offers a wide range of activities for the whole family: e.g. guided tours, activities for children and Virtual Reality.
For more information, please visit the Prison Museum's English website.
The City Archives
The Horsens City Archives comprise the shared memory of the area. Here, you can find exciting archives, old newspapers and you can seek advice and guidance for your school assignment, genealogy or research project.
The City Archives have been gifted many objects over time. We have, amongst others, photos, newspapers, registers of tax payers, city council negotiations, church records, deed and pledge protocols, and much more.
The City Archives register archives in the Arkibas system. This means that, as a user of the archive, you can digitally search the collections of the City Archives.
Horsens Art Museum
Horsens Art Museum collects experimental contemporary art, with an emphasis on Danish art. Common to the collection and exhibition activities of the museum is a focus on artists who explore and challenge the possibilities of different materials. Since 1984, the museum has been located in the beautiful Caroline Amalielund park, with art on display outside, as well as inside.
The collection of Horsens Art Museum is based around large collections of relatively few artists, which remains the strategy of the museum. In the collection, it is possible to experience works by artists such as Michael Kvium, Christian Lemmerz, Bjørn Nørgaard, Nina Sten-Knudsen, Cathrine Raben Davidsen, Gudrun Hasle, Erik A. Frandsen and many more.
For more information, please visit Horsens Art Museum's English website.