Odense with kids
I had wanted to visit Odense ever since I first saw photos of the newly opened Hans Christian Andersen Museum – it looked absolutely magical! And a little disclaimer here: it was definitely worth the trip.
Odense with kids – acommodation
In Odense we stayed at the Kragsbjerggaard Vandrerhjem & Hotel. I was very happy with the price, and the hostel itself was clean and pleasant. There’s a kitchen where you can cook your own meals, fridges for guests to use, and the building is historic, which adds to the charm. So overall, a big plus – except for one thing: the hostel is quite far from the city center. Public transport doesn’t go directly there, so you need to walk quite a bit. With luggage, that can be a little tricky.
Things to do in Odense with kids
Odense has no shortage of attractions – if anything, it’s hard to choose what to see first! We visited three museums and also spent some time just strolling through the town. Odense itself is very charming 🙂 Here are the places we explored:
Hans Christian Andersen’s House in Odense with kids
This museum is absolutely amazing – and if you only have time for one attraction in Odense, this should be it.
First of all, the design: the architecture is stunning – wood, glass, lots of greenery, everything feels light and beautiful. As for the exhibition, there are actually two parts. One is designed especially for children and is called Ville Vau. It’s not directly about Andersen’s fairy tales, but it’s a magical space filled with dozens of gorgeous costumes for kids (and even adults!) to dress up in. Parents can join the fun, and there’s also an upstairs creative room flooded with natural light where kids can paint and draw. Honestly, I wanted to sit down at an easel myself – such an inspiring space!
The main exhibition about Andersen is equally fascinating, for both kids and adults. I learned so many new things: how much he loved to travel, that he created paper cuttings as a hobby, and that many of them are still preserved today. His life and work are presented in such an engaging way, and at the end there’s a room where ten of his fairy tales are displayed in imaginative, surprising forms. We simply didn’t want to leave! I highly recommend it.
👉 Hans Christian Andersen’s House
The Danish Railway Museum
Another highlight for us, especially because I’m a huge fan of Monstrum Playgrounds – they designed the outdoor play area here. The playground itself was great, but the museum is really worth a visit too.
Of course, for train enthusiasts this is a dream come true, but even if you’re not that into railways, it’s still exciting. You can ride a tiny train, explore how the railway system developed over the years, and step into historic wagons and luxury compartments. There’s even a section about night trains that instantly made me want to book a sleeper journey across Europe.
Children are well catered for: there are play stations with building blocks and a fun indoor area where kids can play conductor.
Brandts Art Museum
This museum shows a wide range of Danish art, but what drew us in was their current sensory, poetic exhibition for children: Himmelspjæt & tankespring. It was truly magical – immersive, dreamy, and beautifully done. We both loved it.
Odense with kids – playgrounds
We didn’t have much time for playgrounds, but we still checked out two fun ones:
Fredensgade 29, Odense – a small but quirky playground with a giant man in a hat you can climb on and even crawl inside. Perfect for a quick stop.
Slotsgade Playground – built by Monstrum Playgrounds, right in the city center. Small but really charming.
Coffee in Odense
We popped into The Folk for coffee and a cinnamon bun – delicious specialty coffee and a cozy spot.
Food in Odense
Once we cooked ourselves, but we also visited Storms Pakhus | Odense Streetfood. It’s lively, fun, and there’s something for everyone. Great atmosphere and tasty food – I can definitely recommend it!
For more family friendly posts about Scandinavia, you can check here:
