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In the mirror, I can see myself in oversized gilded pantaloons, visible only to me. Youngsters relax in a rock pool pretending to be mermaids, and adjacent resides a talking pea in a exhibition box, alongside a towering stack of cushions. It represents the universe of H.C. Andersen (1805-1875), a leading nineteenth-century's highly cherished authors. I'm visiting this Danish town, situated in the island of Fyn in the southern region of Denmark, to explore Andersen’s lasting influence in his birthplace many decades after his passing, and to experience a handful of enchanted tales of my own.

The Museum: The Andersen Museum

Andersen's House is the town's exhibition space honoring the author, featuring his original residence. A curator explains that in previous versions of the museum there was minimal emphasis on his fairytales. His personal history was explored, but The Ugly Duckling were absent. For tourists who come to Odense seeking fairytale wonder, it was somewhat disappointing.

The redevelopment of the city center, diverting a main thoroughfare, provided the opportunity to rethink how the city’s most famous son could be celebrated. A prestigious architectural challenge gave Japanese firm Kengo Kuma and Associates the commission, with the curators’ new approach at the core of the design. The distinctive wooden museum with connected spiral spaces debuted to great fanfare in 2021. “We have attempted to design an environment where we don’t talk about Andersen, but we talk like him: with comedy, irony and perspective,” notes the curator. The outdoor spaces take this approach: “The outdoor area for wanderers and for colossal creatures, it’s designed to make you feel small,” he says, an objective realized by thoughtful gardening, experimenting with verticality, proportion and numerous twisting trails in a deceptively small space.

The Writer's Legacy

He authored multiple personal accounts and frequently changed his story. The museum adopts this philosophy to heart; frequently the views of his friends or fragments of written messages are presented to subtly challenge the his narrative of happenings. “Andersen is the storyteller, but he’s not reliable,” explains the expert. The result is a engaging whirlwind tour of the author's biography and work, thought processes and most popular narratives. This is provocative and playful, for grown-ups and youngsters, with a additional underground make-believe land, the fictional village, for the children.

Visiting the Town

In the physical town, the small city of Odense is delightful, with stone-paved roads and traditional Danish homes painted in vibrant hues. The author's presence is all around: the traffic lights feature the storyteller with his signature formal headwear, bronze footmarks give a free guided stroll, and there’s a outdoor exhibition too. Each summer this dedication reaches its height with the regular Andersen celebration, which marks the his influence through creativity, movement, drama and music.

During my visit, the seven-day festival had hundreds of events, many were free. As I explore this place, I encounter colorful performers on stilts, ghoulish monsters and an writer impersonator telling stories. I hear contemporary performances and see an remarkable evening show including acrobatic dancers lowering from the town hall and hanging from a construction equipment. Upcoming events during the season are presentations, hands-on activities and, extending the oral history further than the writer, the city’s regular enchantment celebration.

Every excellent fairytale destinations deserve a fortress, and this region contains 123 castles and manor houses around the area

Pedaling Through History

Like most of Denmark, cycles are the best way to navigate in Odense and a “cycling highway” winds through the downtown area. Departing from the local hotel, I pedal to the complimentary harbour-side swimming pool, then out of town for a circuit around Stige Island, a compact territory linked by a road to the primary land. Town dwellers relax with food here after work, or enjoy a quiet hour angling, paddleboarding or swimming.

In town, I dine at Restaurant Under Lindetræet, where the food selection is based on Andersen themes and stories. The literary work the national ode is highlighted when I visit, and manager the restaurateur recites passages, translated into English, as he introduces the meal. This is a practice commonplace in my time in Odense, the local residents enjoy storytelling and it appears narrating is always on the menu here.

Manor House Visits

Each wonderful enchanted locations need a fortress, and Fyn features over a hundred manors and stately homes throughout the region. Traveling briefly from the city, I tour Egeskov Castle, the region's most intact moated palace. While much of it are open to visitors, the castle is also the personal dwelling of the noble family and his wife, Princess Alexandra zu Sayn-Wittgenstein-Berleburg. I ponder if she can feel a tiny vegetable through a stack of {mattresses