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Reflected back at me, I seem to have on huge shimmering pantaloons, perceptible only to me. Children play in a stone basin imitating sea nymphs, while nearby sits a talking pea in a showcase, next to a tall stack of mattresses. It represents the universe of Hans Christian Andersen (1805-1875), among the 19th century’s widely adored storytellers. I'm visiting the city of Odense, on the island of Fyn in the southern region of Denmark, to discover the author's lasting influence in his birthplace many decades after his passing, and to find a handful of enchanted tales of my own.

The Exhibition: The Andersen Museum

HC Andersens Hus is the town's cultural center dedicated to the storyteller, including his original residence. A curator notes that in previous versions of the museum there was little focus on Andersen’s stories. His personal history was explored, but The Ugly Duckling were missing. For visitors who come to the city in search of storytelling magic, it was somewhat disappointing.

The renovation of downtown Odense, diverting a major road, provided the opportunity to reimagine how the local celebrity could be honored. An international design contest granted Japanese firm the Kengo Kuma team the commission, with the museum's fresh perspective at the core of the layout. The distinctive wooden museum with interwoven 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 talk like Andersen: with wit, sarcasm and outlook,” notes the representative. The landscape design take this approach: “The outdoor area for wanderers and for colossal creatures, it’s designed to give you a sense of smallness,” he notes, a challenge realized by clever planting, playing with verticality, proportion and multiple meandering routes in a unexpectedly limited space.

The Writer's Legacy

Andersen wrote multiple memoirs and regularly contradicted himself. The exhibition embraces this concept to heart; frequently the opinions of his friends or excerpts of written messages are shown to politely doubt the his narrative of incidents. “The author is the guide, but he's untrustworthy,” notes the representative. The outcome is a engaging swift exploration of his personal story and art, mental approaches and most popular tales. It is provocative and whimsical, for grown-ups and children, with a extra underground make-believe land, the pretend town, for the smallest guests.

Discovering the City

In the actual city, the small city of this Danish city is charming, with cobbled streets and historic timber buildings painted in bright colours. The writer's influence is all around: the traffic lights show the author with his distinctive top hat, brass footprints provide a no-cost pedestrian route, and there’s a art walk too. Annually in August this dedication culminates with the regular Andersen celebration, which celebrates the author’s legacy through creativity, performance, drama and melodies.

During my visit, the seven-day festival had hundreds of events, most of which were free. As I explore this place, I come across colorful performers on stilts, fantastical beings and an writer impersonator narrating adventures. I experience contemporary performances and see an incredible late-night performance with graceful performers coming down from the municipal structure and hanging from a crane. Future activities during the season are lectures, family art workshops and, extending the narrative tradition further than the writer, the city’s annual Magic Days festival.

Every excellent magical places need a castle, and this region features over a hundred manors and estates throughout the region

Pedaling Through History

As in other Danish regions, bicycles are the ideal method to navigate in this town and a “bicycle route” meanders through the downtown area. Starting at Hotel Odeon, I pedal to the complimentary port-side aquatic facility, then beyond the city for a circuit around the nearby islet, a small island connected by causeway to the mainland. Local inhabitants picnic here in the evening, or enjoy a tranquil moment catching fish, paddleboarding or swimming.

Returning to the city, I dine at the themed restaurant, where the food selection is based on the writer's motifs and stories. The literary work the national ode is featured during my meal, and proprietor the restaurateur recites passages, translated into English, as he serves every dish. Such encounters repeated often in my time in Odense, the local residents appreciate narratives and it feels as though sharing tales is always offered here.

Manor House Visits

Each wonderful magical places deserve a fortress, and this region features numerous historic homes and manor houses around the area. Traveling briefly from the city, I explore the historic fortress, Europe’s finely maintained historic fortress. While much of it are open to visitors, this historic site is also the private residence of the noble family and his wife, the princess. I contemplate if she might sense a pea through a mound of {mattresses