Henner Friisers Hus

Eight secrets behind a half-timbered house from 1580

Henner Friiser's House is a Renaissance gable house from around 1580 with striking, period-typical half-timbering. Each floor juts out beyond the one below, supported by projecting beam ends and carved wooden brackets, known as knægte, on the façade.

From 1705 to 1870 the house served as an inn, making it a popular stop in the busy ferry town. It has survived almost intact, and during a restoration in 1927–28 well-preserved wall paintings were discovered on the first floor. Since then the house has served as a museum, and it is today owned by Middelfart Museumsforening (the Middelfart Museum Society).

Inside, the history unfolds layer by layer. On the ground floor you meet the Renaissance building itself and the story of its years as an inn from 1705 to 1870, when travellers flocked to the busy ferry town seeking shelter for the night. On the first floor children can come face to face with life-size porpoise models, learn about the animals' biology and try their hand at porpoise hunting in an interactive game.

On the second floor the history of the town and its surroundings unfolds from the 1500s to today, with a model of Middelfart as it looked in 1801 and objects ranging from items from Hindsgavl Manor in the 1700s to everyday goods from the Pryds supermarket in the 1970s.

Follow the children on the hunt for Henner Friiser's eight secrets through the museum's hidden rooms, where the answers wait on the activity sheet.