Ships, seafarers and stories from the sea

Embark on a journey through the world of seafaring at the Marstal Søfartsmuseum (maritime museum), where tales of adventure, trade, storms and life at sea come to life. Set amidst Marstal’s proud maritime heritage, the museum invites you on board for an experience where generations of life at sea are brought to life through atmospheric exhibitions, original artefacts and fascinating tales from the seven seas.

The museum is housed, amongst other places, in one of the town’s old buildings with creaking floors, low-ceilinged rooms and a wealth of exhibition spaces featuring detailed ship models, ships in bottles, maritime paintings and artefacts that seafarers have brought home from distant corners of the world.

Here, you’ll learn, amongst other things, about Marstal’s development from the heyday of sailing ships to the era of steam and motor vessels. You can also explore reconstructed settings, discover the significance of seafaring to Marstal and gain an insight into the people who, over the centuries, set sail towards the horizon.

Step aboard and experience life at sea

At the museum, history isn’t tucked away behind glass. Here, amongst other things, you can step into the original wheelhouse of the coaster DORAS and get a sense of what it was like to navigate the seas at a time when seafarers relied on experience, craftsmanship and courage.

Maritime history is not told solely through ship models and sailors’ stories. The museum also houses a large collection of works by the marine and Greenlandic painter Jens Erik Carl Rasmussen, who lived and worked in Marstal. His atmospheric scenes bring the sea’s shifting light, the dramatic waves and life at sea right up close.

On an interactive screen, you can follow how a painting develops from the initial sketches to the finished work and experience the artistic process up close. If you keep your eyes peeled as you walk through Marstal after your visit, you may also come across Rasmussen’s art elsewhere in the town – including in Marstal Church.

A museum where children can play and learn

The museum is far more than a traditional museum. There’s plenty for the youngest members of the family to discover here.

Children can explore model ships and fascinating artefacts from faraway lands, try their hand at fun activities and follow Anker, the sailor’s friend, through the museum. Along the way, they can solve puzzles, learn about seafaring and engage with the stories in a way that brings history to life and makes it feel immediate.

When it’s time to burn off a bit of energy, the play ship Martha awaits in the courtyard, serving as a huge playground where the imagination can run wild. Here, children can carry on playing whilst the adults enjoy a break, and the whole family can gather around the picnic they’ve brought to the tables in the courtyard under the open sky.

Eriksens Plads and Marstal Motorer

The Marstal Søfartsmuseum extends beyond the museum building itself. At Eriksens Plads, just a stone’s throw from the museum, you can experience a vibrant maritime environment with an active slipway, shipyard activities and traces of the shipbuilding industry that has shaped Marstal for generations. Here, history meets the present in a working cultural environment close to the harbour.

If you’re interested in mechanical power and technical cultural heritage, the museum’s engine collection is also well worth a visit. At Motorfabrikken Marstal (old engine factory) you can see the iconic Marstal Engines and get up close to the engines that, for decades, helped keep the town’s ships running.

Practical information

The Marstal Søfartsmuseum is located close to the bus stop at Marstal Harbour, and there are car parks around the harbour.

Tickets can be purchased on site, and during the summer holidays there are free guided tours.

If you visit both the Marstal Søfartsmuseum and Søbygaard, you’ll receive a 20 DKK discount at the second venue upon presentation of your ticket from the first.