People and the Harbour

The listed customs building from 1834 forms the framework for the exhibition “People and the Harbour”. Here, your senses come into play as light, sound, images, and objects tell the story of the harbour’s changing life. See variations of travel bags, souvenirs from distant parts of the world, and wreckage from the depths of the sea. You can also be impressed by the fact that the small lighthouse lamp from Strandporten’s lighthouse has served as navigation for the ships crossing the Little Belt at night. The Little Belt has been illuminated since the beginning of the 18th century. The exhibition contains stories from and about the people, functions, benefits, and challenges of the harbour. Unique film treasures can be seen in the exhibition, where the old market town comes to life and the harbour’s many different businesses and functions are told through moving images. Also, experience the eminent model boat builder Jørgen Mangor, who is immortalized with his production of a model of the harbour’s first steam-powered mailboat, Maagen (The seagull). The model can also be seen in the exhibition.

The location by the Little Belt has had a significant impact on both the town of Assens and its surrounding area. Assens was an important ferry town, where throughout the 16th and 17^th centuries, cattle were shipped across the water as part of the transportation route between the capital and the duchies to the south. In the exhibition, you can learn more about where the cattle came from and the routes they took before being shipped across the belt and continuing their journey south.

The customs building at the harbour also tells stories of high tides. On the facade of the building, you can see how high the water stood during the storm surge in 1872. It was only 5 years after the building had undergone a major renovation following a previous storm surge. Inside the exhibition, you can see pictures of the high tide episode in 1904, where the masonry still shows watermarks from 1872.

Watchmen maintained peace and order at the harbour. Perhaps their impressive equipment helped make the work easier? In the exhibition, you can, among other things, see the intimidating morning star, which was part of the watchmen’s equipment.

In “People and the Harbour,” children can go on a hunt for the code to Peter Tolder’s treasure chest. Are they skilled enough to find the answers and open the treasure chest?

The “Museum Vestfyn” App

You can add an extra layer to your experience by downloading the free app “Museum Vestfyn”. Here, you can listen to the texts and stories in the exhibition. The app is available on App Store and Google Play.

Visit “People and the Harbour”

See here when you can visit “People and the Harbour”.