How tricksy the weather is being at the moment, I feel positively befuddled each time I leave the unchanging climate of my house. In the morning when we depart for school in a whirlwind of organised chaos I panic at the thought of forgetting my coat and am convinced that the toddler will catch a cold should I not wrap his fully clothed person within a blanket as we leave the car, which, for the record is kept at a consistent 19 degrees. Yet no matter how prepared I feel I am for the cold spell that we seem to be entering each day, by mid afternoon the temperature has leapt up and the boys can tell me how they knew after all that shorts would have been just fine. It is beyond me to get this right until possibly late November, from which point I will retreat gracefully into the folds of my coat leaving only a little red nose on view.
On Sunday I was the woman to be found wilting her way around the Frilands museum swathed in layers of clothing, shedding weight and jumpers as we wound our way further and further into the grounds. We have often visited the Frilands museum, being close neighbours it would have been churlish not to and it is absolutely worth a trip. Part of the National Museum family, the 'Open air Museum' is to be found in Sorgenfri, just North of Lyngby. Founded in 1897 and moved to its present location at the turn of the last century, the Frilands Museum is home to a fascinating selection of Danish homes, farms and industry buildings. Each one has been transported from its original location and recreated piece by piece. Then, thoughtfully and deliberately the neighbouring landscape has been adapted to represent the buildings original setting hence it is quite possible to travel through Danish history in the space of an afternoon.
We have visited the museum so many times yet I still feel as though I know only a third at best, such is the expanse of detail and landscape to explore. The children love to roam around the buildings, absorbing the history in the least direct way possible asking questions as they go. We traipse around after them making sure that at each turn 100 years of history is still untouched by inquisitive fingers. At points I may discover a detail that captures my own imagination, I particularly loved these suspended water balls. How fascinating to know they were used by women whilst doing needlework to magnify their stitches.
When we have walked far enough it's time to head for one of the cafes for a light refreshment. In summer this will be the kiosk next to the windmill in the middle that hosts the water feature. On a warm day the fountain acts as a paddling pool teaming with children of all ages, I am savvy enough now to know that they will get completely wet no matter how much they promise to only paddle. Therefore if open, which it wasn't this time, this area becomes our last port of call which is fine by me as there is coffee available and no matter how wet the children get it is not that far to waddle back to the car.
On various days throughout the year staff are on hand in authentic costumes to talk visitors through some of the buildings, we have always found them very willing to speak in English and happy to patiently explain to the children. At the main entrance to the museum is a gift shop, it is definitely worth a browse if you have a moment. Sadly at the end of October the museum closes up and doesn't actually re-open until April aside from two weekends in December which are very 'hygge'. Free to enter it is a nice way to take a walk with family or friends and learn some Danish history at the same time.
So there we were on Sunday, the toddler enjoying an opportunity to walk without cars or bicycles impeding his progress. The two big boys lurching from dwelling to dwelling marveling at how short people used to be and generally having a wonderful adventure in the fresh air. Their father feigning interest, thinking all the while of the waffles and soft ice that are un-denyingly his favourite part of our history walk, and Myself? Of course I always enjoy being out with my little family but to be honest I started the trip ready for autumn. I quickly found out it was in fact still summer and that I was completely and utterly over dressed for the occasion. So, if you were also there that day and you saw a red faced woman wearing long Ugg boots in the sunshine, wilting under a tower of winter clothing it was probably me. Maybe we ought to have taken the path via the water feature after all but I can't promise I would have stopped at the ankles.
www.natmus.dk
On Sunday I was the woman to be found wilting her way around the Frilands museum swathed in layers of clothing, shedding weight and jumpers as we wound our way further and further into the grounds. We have often visited the Frilands museum, being close neighbours it would have been churlish not to and it is absolutely worth a trip. Part of the National Museum family, the 'Open air Museum' is to be found in Sorgenfri, just North of Lyngby. Founded in 1897 and moved to its present location at the turn of the last century, the Frilands Museum is home to a fascinating selection of Danish homes, farms and industry buildings. Each one has been transported from its original location and recreated piece by piece. Then, thoughtfully and deliberately the neighbouring landscape has been adapted to represent the buildings original setting hence it is quite possible to travel through Danish history in the space of an afternoon.
We have visited the museum so many times yet I still feel as though I know only a third at best, such is the expanse of detail and landscape to explore. The children love to roam around the buildings, absorbing the history in the least direct way possible asking questions as they go. We traipse around after them making sure that at each turn 100 years of history is still untouched by inquisitive fingers. At points I may discover a detail that captures my own imagination, I particularly loved these suspended water balls. How fascinating to know they were used by women whilst doing needlework to magnify their stitches.
When we have walked far enough it's time to head for one of the cafes for a light refreshment. In summer this will be the kiosk next to the windmill in the middle that hosts the water feature. On a warm day the fountain acts as a paddling pool teaming with children of all ages, I am savvy enough now to know that they will get completely wet no matter how much they promise to only paddle. Therefore if open, which it wasn't this time, this area becomes our last port of call which is fine by me as there is coffee available and no matter how wet the children get it is not that far to waddle back to the car.
On various days throughout the year staff are on hand in authentic costumes to talk visitors through some of the buildings, we have always found them very willing to speak in English and happy to patiently explain to the children. At the main entrance to the museum is a gift shop, it is definitely worth a browse if you have a moment. Sadly at the end of October the museum closes up and doesn't actually re-open until April aside from two weekends in December which are very 'hygge'. Free to enter it is a nice way to take a walk with family or friends and learn some Danish history at the same time.
So there we were on Sunday, the toddler enjoying an opportunity to walk without cars or bicycles impeding his progress. The two big boys lurching from dwelling to dwelling marveling at how short people used to be and generally having a wonderful adventure in the fresh air. Their father feigning interest, thinking all the while of the waffles and soft ice that are un-denyingly his favourite part of our history walk, and Myself? Of course I always enjoy being out with my little family but to be honest I started the trip ready for autumn. I quickly found out it was in fact still summer and that I was completely and utterly over dressed for the occasion. So, if you were also there that day and you saw a red faced woman wearing long Ugg boots in the sunshine, wilting under a tower of winter clothing it was probably me. Maybe we ought to have taken the path via the water feature after all but I can't promise I would have stopped at the ankles.
www.natmus.dk
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