Esrum Through Children’s Eyes
At Esrum Kloster & Møllegård, children get history in their hands
Esrum Through Children’s Eyes brings the monastery’s stories to life for all generations. Here there’s plenty of space for the whole family to play, explore together, and get hands-on with history. Every weekend, year-round, as well as during school breaks, there will be children’s activities that everyone can join in on.
Children’s activities every weekend and during school breaks
Every weekend and during school breaks, you can try out children’s activities that bring history to life. The children’s activities change with the seasons, so the experiences always reflect the cycle of the year. This means you’ll always discover something new when you stop by Esrum, whether you visit us when the sun is shining or when snow lies like a thick blanket on the meadow.
All right here in Esrum
Practical Information
- All children’s activities are included in the entrance ticket
- Entrance tickets can be purchased on arrival in the monastery shop
- Children’s activities take place both indoors and outdoors in the landscape
Borrow a Landscape Bag
Outside of school vacation weeks, you can borrow a “Landscape Bag” from the “Eye for Landscape” exhibition to take with you outdoors. The Landscape Bag is designed for a quiet family moment where you can be creative, curious, and experience the landscape with fresh eyes.
In the Landscape Bag, you’ll find small activities: things you can draw, things you can make with your hands, things you can collect and explore—and little questions that spark your thoughts and conversations. In the Landscape Bag, you’ll also find a map of places that are especially nice to hang out at, along with ideas for how to bring the experience home with you. The contents of the Landscape Bag change with the seasons, so there’s always something seasonal to explore and try out.
- The Landscape Bag is designed for adults and families with children ages 6 and up
- The Landscape Bag is available for loan at the “Eye for Landscape” exhibition at Esrum Abbey with a valid ticket
- You can do the activities in the Landscape Bag at your own pace
- The landscape bag must be returned to the exhibition afterward
Fun Activities for Kids
At the monastery’s exhibition “Eye for Landscape”, there are children’s activities every weekend—except during school vacation weeks—that are part of the “Landscape Bag” program. These activities take place both outdoors and indoors.
You can participate in the children’s activities whether or not you’ve borrowed a “Landscape Bag”—but the bag gives you something extra to take with you and something to bring back to the exhibition.
The children’s activities follow the seasons. Whatever is sprouting outside appears inside the exhibition.
During school breaks, special activities are planned for families with children. Check the calendar to see the current activities.
Children's tour: The first day at the Abbey
Step into the vaulted cellar and hear about Brother Stefan. He has just arrived at Esrum Abbey – maybe a little excited, maybe a little nervous. Together we will follow him on his first day as a monk.
We sit close in the semi-darkness, the story takes shape and the senses come into play: Feel the soft beeswax in your hands and smell the herbs of the monastery garden.
After the story, we go up to the Abbey Hall where we sit quietly and listen to the monks singing.
- The children’s tour is for children from 6 years old
- The children’s tour begins at 10:30 a.m. every weekend, except during school vacation weeks.
- The children’s tour lasts approximately 20 minutes
- The children’s tour takes place inside Esrum Abbey in the monastery cellar
- Children under 18 are free when accompanied by adults
Brother Stefan's treasure hunt
Take the story outside and explore the monastery. Continue the story of Brother Stefan – the one you met in the children’s tour in the monastery cellar.
With a map in hand, find different items. Look through a glass, find the answer and collect letters along the way. The tour goes through the monastery garden and Klostergården – where history unfolds in the open air.
Go on a treasure hunt whenever it suits you—with or without a children’s tour. Pick up your treasure map inside the monastery and follow in Brother Stefan’s footsteps together.
- The treasure-map is handed out inside Esrum Abbey
- The treasure hunt takes place in the area
- The treasure hunt is included in the one-way ticket
- The treasure hunt goes at your own pace
Visit the nature playground
At the Nature Playground there is room to let your imagination run wild and burn off some steam.
The nature playground is inspired by a small medieval village where you can play knights of the fortress, take a trip across the moat or whizz along on the cable car.
When your legs get tired, you can take a break in the packed lunch house or enjoy some campfire fun if you bring some dough for snow bread. The nature playground is free to visit and open all year round – for both young and old adventurers
Try the VR glasses
Invite the whole family on a digital journey through time where history comes alive before your eyes with our VR glasses.
With VR glasses on, you’ll suddenly find yourself in the middle of the monastery courtyard – and the story will come alive and be fun for kids and adults alike.
The experience gives you a good sense of what it looked like inside Esrum Monastery
