New major investment in HC Andersen's fairytale world: "You do not need to understand anything"

The Little Mermaid, The Ugly Duckling, The Emperor's New Clothes, The Princess on the Pea and Tummelisa are some of the world's most famous fairy tales, written by the Danish author HC Andersen (1805-1875).

The Danish national icon is already receiving enormous attention in his home country, and in his hometown of Odense, the visitor does not walk many meters without being reminded of who once lived there.

This summer, a new major investment in the author's honor is ready - the new HC Andersen Museum.

- People sometimes wonder "have we not had enough of HC Andersen?".

He is often used, and abused even more.

But the real Andersen, whom you meet when you read his fairy tales, people are still interested in him, says Henrik Lübker, the museum's creative director.

Expensive

After ten years of work and a budget of 500 million, the 5,600 square meter museum, designed by the Japanese architectural firm Kengo Kuma & Associates, is almost ready.

There will be a so-called "soft opening" on 30 June.

The park and café will not be ready until September, but the exhibition itself is complete and will be inaugurated by Danish Queen Margrethe.

During the opening ceremony, she will cut ribbons with HC Andersen's own scissors.

- Visitors will get to meet twelve of Hans Christian Andersen's most famous fairy tales.

But you have to be prepared that the meeting will be a little different than you might have expected, says Henrik Lübker.

The experience goes first

With the help of a specially designed audio guide, the visitor is guided through HC Andersen's life and fairy tales, without fact-packed texts or traditional explanations.

The poor childhood comes first, then the travels, the controversial love life (including the unrequited love for the Swedish opera singer Jenny Lind), the fame and finally the fairy tales.

Sound, light and visual artists have created different parts of the exhibition that put the experience at the center.

Taken together, the entire museum, with its architecture, park and exhibition, becomes a "universal work of art", according to the museum management.

- We did not think it appropriate to have a museum full of facts that state that "this is what the world looks like". HC Andersen's fairy tales make us question the world. You do not have to understand anything, you just have to experience, says Henrik Lübker.