Christmas at the Open-Air Museum
Activities
27 Nov 2026—25 Dec 2026
Christmas begins at the Open-Air Museum
It’s all about Christmas idyll, rosy cheeks, and warm hearts when the Open-Air Museum celebrates Christmas. Every weekend from 28.11–20.12 and during the Christmas days from 21–26.12, you can experience Christmas as in the old days, filled with Christmas food, elves, and Christmas theatre. So if you need some extra Christmas spirit or want to stretch your legs a bit, we offer long paths and everything a Christmas-loving heart could desire. New this year, you can enjoy the twinkling Christmas lights every weekend, as we have extended our opening hours so you can really get into the Christmas mood in true open-air style.
Practical information
When?
Christmas weekends 28 Nov–20 Dec 10 a.m.–4 p.m.
Christmas holidays 21 Dec–26 Dec 10 a.m.–2 p.m.
Where? At the Open Air Museum in Kongens Lyngby, just 30 minutes from Copenhagen. Find us on Google Maps.
Admission? Get 10% off when you buy your ticket online and get through the queue faster. Children always get free admission.
What's happening? Christmas at the Open Air Museum is packed with activities and experiences for the whole family. Theater, creative workshops, Christmas treats, and plenty more traditional outdoor Christmas fun.
The prankster elves are up to mischief
Family theater about elves and Christmas mischief
Experience elf theatre for the whole family when the museum presents two cosy Christmas performances featuring mischievous elves. In the theatre hall of Frøsnapperbyen you can meet “Nisse Pok”, based on Ole Lund Kirkegaard’s classic Christmas tale – a funny and heart-warming Christmas story for all ages. You can see Nisse Pok on Christmas weekends at 1:30 pm, 3:30 pm and 4:30 pm. As tradition dictates, the beloved play “Drillenissen” returns to Lundagergården. Things get lively when the elf throws hay around and plays tricks on the farmer because he hasn’t received his Christmas porridge! You can see Drillenissen on Christmas weekends at 11:30 am, 12:30 pm and 2:30 pm, and on the Christmas holidays at 11:00 am and 1:00 pm.
Join us a magical Christmas walk
Guided tours about Christmas in the old days
Join our museum hosts for a very special tour around the historic houses and farms at the Open-Air Museum in the glow of lanterns. Hear how Christmas has been celebrated through the ages and soak up the Christmas atmosphere. The Christmas walks start at 1:30 pm, 4:00 pm and 5:00 pm on the Christmas weekends, and at 12:00 pm on the Christmas holidays by the Smithy from Ørbæk.
Step into the history of Christmas
Explore decorations and traditions in the farms and houses
Christmas has not always been filled with sweets and decorated trees. Once, something as simple as red apples and beautiful textiles was what people used for decorations, and the traditions have evolved over time. Explore our many Christmas-decorated rooms and experience how Christmas was celebrated around the country. See the farmer’s lavish Christmas table, the miller’s sparkling Christmas tree, and the modest cabbage Christmas tree of the poor heath farmers. At the Manor House, Christmas preparations are in full swing in the kitchen, scullery, and living rooms, and in Frøsnapperbyen you can experience Christmas at the local shopkeeper’s, with Christmas bingo in the village hall, Christmas decorations on the counter, a Christmas tree in the living room, and make-your-own Christmas lollipops in the kitchen.
No Christmas without Danish 'æbleskiver' and mulled wine
Enjoy Christmas treats
The food stalls serve Danish æbleskiver, Frilands glögg, hot chocolate, and roast pork and meatball sandwiches. At the bakery, you can enjoy delicious coffee and warm pastries, and in The Freddy Frogface Village you can also find gifts and treats at the local store.
Christmas activities for children of all ages
Creative workshops, cakebaking, Christmas bingo...
Unleash your creativity in our cozy Christmas workshop, where you can make yarn gnomes, decorate Christmas candles, and tie Christmas ornaments with string. Children can also embark on a fun and exciting Christmas treasure hunt, searching for clues in houses and farmyards. Every weekend, you can meet both pigs and goats together with the animal keepers.
But the Christmas fun does not stop there. In the co-op’s assembly hall, you can play Christmas bingo; in the smithy, you can try your hand at making a hook; and in the manor kitchen, you can bake delicious Christmas cookies. If you have a sweet tooth, you can also shape your own Christmas lollipops in the co-op’s kitchen.
Only on December 13: Lucia procession and Christmas concert
Special late opening with music and a St. Lucia procession
On 13 December, you can round off the day’s Christmas programme with a truly special experience as the Lucia choir makes its way through the museum’s beautifully decorated surroundings, followed by a Christmas concert. The choir will fill the air with classic Christmas songs and bring warm festive melodies to the winter darkness. The Lucia procession and Christmas concert will take place only on 13 December from 5 p.m.
Frequently asked questions
What are the opening hours?
You can experience Christmas at the Open Air Museum on Saturdays and Sundays from 29 November to 21 December, 10 a.m.–4 p.m., and from 22 to 26 December, 10 a.m.–2 p.m.Is the schedule the same on the weekends around Christmas and on Christmas Day?
No, the program is more limited during the Christmas period from December 21 to 26. If you would like to experience the full Christmas program, we recommend visiting us on the Christmas weekends from November 28 to December 22. You can find the programs at the top of the page.When are the St. Lucia procession and Christmas concert?
On December 13 at 5:00 p.m., the St. Lucia procession will begin at the Halland farmstead. Following the procession, the Christmas concert will begin at the Ostenfeld farmstead. The museum will then close at 6:00 p.m. We recommend arriving at the museum well in advance, as this is a popular event.Does a regular admission ticket include access to Lucia?
Yes! A standard admission ticket gives you access to the entire Christmas programme, as well as our St. Lucia procession and Christmas concert on 13 December. Admission is always free for children and you get 10% discount on your ticket, when buying it online.What can you eat at the Open Air Museum at Christmas?
At the country kiosk, you can enjoy roast pork sandwiches, meatball sandwiches, vegetarian Christmas sandwiches, sausages, soft drinks, coffee, and ice cream. At Café Haystack you can find sandwiches, a childrens box and a daily lunchplate. At the Bakehouse, the aroma of freshly baked cinnamon swirls fills the air, and of course you can enjoy one with a hot cup of coffee. At the village food truck, you’ll find genuine Christmas cheer with mulled wine from Frilandsmuseet and warm Danish pancake puffs. In Frøsnapperbyen, you can stop by Brugsen for coffee and cake—or visit the Christmas stall by Borre Garage, offering tempting mulled wine, candied apples, and roasted almonds. You are, of course, also always welcome to bring your own packed lunch or picnic basket and enjoy it in the cozy surroundings.What can the activity card be used for?
The activity card can be used to pay for special activities during the school holidays. These might include candle decorating, christmas decoration making, cake baking and the like. Without an activity card, selected activities cost DKK 35 or more. With an activity card, you save DKK 5 per activity. A card with 5 punches costs DKK 150, saving you a total of DKK 25. The card can be shared by several people, and if you do not use all your punches, you can use it again at other events later in the same year. At Christmas, the activities are: decorate a Christmas candle, make a Christmas lollipop, make knotted Christmas decorations, take part in a Christmas treasure hunt, and play Christmas bingo. You can buy an activity card at the museum or in advance here: https://billet.frilandsmuseet.dk/ticketsIs the theater included in the admission ticket?
Yes, and this year two theatre performances are included in the admission ticket from 29 November to 21 December. You can see Nisse Pok in Frøsnapperbyen and Drillenissen at Lundagergården. Please note, however, that seating is available on a first-come, first-served basis. There are several performance times, so everyone will have a chance to attend. During the Christmas holidays, only Drillenissen will be on the programme. See the performance times in the programme at the top of this page.