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Reflected back at me, I seem to have on oversized shimmering pantaloons, seen exclusively in my view. Kids play in a water feature acting as ocean creatures, and in the next room rests a talking pea in a display case, beside a tall stack of cushions. It represents the universe of Hans Christian Andersen (1805-1875), among the 1800s highly cherished authors. I find myself in this Danish town, situated in the island of Fyn in the southern part of Denmark, to discover Andersen’s timeless impact in his home town a century and a half after his demise, and to discover a few fairytales of my own.

The Exhibition: H.C. Andersen's House

Andersen's House is the local exhibition space honoring the writer, including his original residence. An expert states that in previous versions of the museum there was scant attention on the author's tales. His personal history was explored, but The Ugly Duckling were missing. For guests who come to Odense in search of storytelling magic, it was a little lacking.

The redevelopment of Odense city centre, redirecting a main thoroughfare, provided the opportunity to rethink how the city’s most famous son could be celebrated. An international design contest awarded the architects from Japan the Kengo Kuma team the commission, with the museum's fresh perspective at the heart of the design. The distinctive wood-paneled museum with connected spiral spaces launched to much acclaim in 2021. “We’ve tried to design an environment where we don’t talk about the author, but we communicate similarly to Andersen: with humour, sarcasm and perspective,” says the curator. The outdoor spaces follow this philosophy: “The outdoor area for wanderers and for large beings, it’s designed to make you feel small,” he explains, an objective realized by thoughtful gardening, manipulating height, proportion and many winding paths in a deceptively small space.

The Author's Influence

The author penned several personal accounts and often provided conflicting accounts. The exhibition embraces this concept to heart; frequently the views of his companions or fragments of letters are presented to gently question the his narrative of events. “Andersen is the narrator, but he’s not reliable,” explains the representative. The result is a compelling whirlwind tour of his personal story and art, mental approaches and favorite stories. It’s thought-provoking and whimsical, for grown-ups and kids, with a extra underground imaginary world, the fictional village, for the youngest visitors.

Exploring Odense

Returning to the actual city, the modest urban center of Odense is charming, with cobbled streets and historic timber buildings painted in cheerful shades. The Andersen legacy is everywhere: the road indicators display the author with his distinctive top hat, metal shoe prints provide a complimentary pedestrian route, and there’s a outdoor exhibition too. Each summer this dedication culminates with the yearly Andersen celebration, which marks the author’s legacy through visual arts, performance, theatre and music.

Recently, the seven-day festival had numerous performances, most of which were free. During my time in this place, I meet painted stilt-walkers, spooky creatures and an author double sharing tales. I hear empowering poetry and see an amazing late-night performance featuring acrobatic dancers coming down from the municipal structure and suspended from a construction equipment. Future activities during the season are talks, family art workshops and, expanding the narrative tradition further than the writer, the city’s annual wonder event.

Each wonderful magical places require a palace, and the island boasts over a hundred manors and manor houses throughout the region

Cycling and Exploration

As in much of the country, bikes are the perfect means to navigate in Odense and a “cycling highway” winds through the urban core. Starting at the local hotel, I ride to the free port-side aquatic facility, then beyond the city for a circuit around Stige Island, a small island joined by a bridge to the larger island. Local inhabitants have outdoor meals here after work, or appreciate a quiet hour fishing, aquatic activities or taking a dip.

Back in Odense, I eat at Restaurant Under Lindetræet, where the food selection is derived from author-inspired concepts and tales. The literary work the national ode is highlighted at the restaurant, and owner Nils Palmqvist shares excerpts, presented in English, as he presents each course. This is a practice commonplace in my days in the city, the island inhabitants love a yarn and it feels as though narrating is always on the menu here.

Manor House Visits

Each wonderful enchanted locations require a fortress, and this region boasts numerous historic homes and manor houses throughout the region. Taking day trips from town, I visit Egeskov Castle, Europe’s best-preserved moated palace. Although large sections are accessible to the public, the castle is also the personal dwelling of Count Michael Ahlefeldt-Laurvig-Bille and his wife, Princess Alexandra zu Sayn-Wittgenstein-Berleburg. I ponder if she can feel a small legume through a stack of {mattresses