Den Gamble By

Name

Den Gamble By

Legal name

Den Gamle By

Website

https://dengamleby.dk

Company type

Private

Founded year

1909

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Open-Air Living History Museum

NAICS

Museums, Historical Sites, and Similar Institutions (712), Historical Sites (71212), Museums (712110)

SIC

Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900), Services-Miscellaneous Amusement & Recreation (7990)

akta.pro primary industry

Cultural Heritage & Historic District Tours (THAJAAAB)

akta.pro secondary industries

Museum & Landmark Guided Tours (Skip-the-line/Docent-led) (THAJAAAC), Neighborhood & Local Life Tours (Communities & Hidden Gems) (THAJAAAJ), Political, Social History & Civic Tours (THAJAAAK)

Keywords

• Open-air museum
• Living history exhibits
• Cultural heritage tourism
• Museum admission services
• Historical reenactment

Headquarters

HQ city

Aarhus

HQ country

Denmark

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Admission fees: Den Gamle By generates primary revenue through admission ticket sales. Standard tickets range from 145-205 DKK for adults depending on season, with free admission for children under 18. The museum is open 365 days per year.
2. Annual passes and memberships: The museum sells annual passes (årskort) at 525 DKK for adults, 460 DKK for retirees, and 290 DKK for visitors aged 18-27. Annual pass holders receive free admission, a complimentary guest, and discounts on purchases. Membership in 'Klub Den Gamle By' provides ongoing engagement benefits.
3. Corporate firmakort (company cards): Corporate company cards are sold to businesses at 12,000 DKK (full access including high season) or 9,000 DKK (limited access excluding July and December). These provide annual admission benefits for employees.
4. Retail sales in historical shops: The museum operates multiple historical shops selling period-appropriate goods including books, candles, honey, historical items, and souvenirs. Revenue is generated through in-museum retail purchases.
5. Guided tours and experiences: The museum sells guided tours at 100-262 EUR depending on time and day, as well as special experiences like horse-drawn carriage rides (7-13.5 EUR) and themed tours.
6. Food and beverage: Multiple eateries within the museum grounds serve food and beverages, including Café Bonnich, Wineke's Cellar tavern, and Gæstgivergården inn. Food courts and outdoor dining contribute to revenue.
7. Event venue rental and private bookings: The museum offers private event spaces for companies and individuals, including the House of Memory for special gatherings, corporate meetings, and celebrations.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels9 records

Core offering

Den Gamle By is an open-air living history museum in Aarhus, Denmark, where visitors purchase admission tickets (single-day DKK 145–205, children under 18 free) or annual passes (DKK 290–525) to explore five reconstructed Danish urban quarters spanning 1864 to 2014, supported by costumed interpreters, themed historical shops, on-site dining venues, and specialized exhibitions including the underground 800 sqm Aarhus Fortæller. Beyond standard admission, the museum sells corporate firmakort memberships (DKK 9,000–12,000), guided tours in Danish/English/German, horse-drawn carriage rides, and venue rental for private and corporate events, with a distinct House of Memory programme for dementia patients and caregivers.

Product overview

Den Gamle By is an open-air museum in Aarhus, Denmark, presenting Danish urban history from the 1600s to the present through authentic reconstructed buildings and living history experiences. The museum operates a multi-product offering centered on admission (tickets and passes), supplemented by fee-based services including guided tours, themed historical shops, dining establishments, private event venues, and specialized reminiscence programs. The core admission product includes access to multiple time-period neighborhoods (1864, 1927, 1974, 2014), exhibitions, and live demonstrations. Premium offerings include annual passes with member benefits, corporate packages, and specialized accessibility programs like The House of Memory for dementia care.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Aarhus Fortæller: Underground exhibition covering 800 square metres about Aarhus' 1200 years of history from Viking Age to present, located in the 1974 neighbourhood
• Dansk Plakatmuseum (Danish Poster Museum)
• The House of Memory (Erindringsbesøg)
• Huset Fortæller (The Hjørring House Story)
• Kunstkammeret (Gallery of Decorative Arts)
• The Jewellery Box (Smykkeskrinet)
• Toy Museum (Legetøjsmuseet)
• Møntmestergården

Products and services

• Museum Entrance Tickets Day admission tickets to the open-air museum. Adult tickets are DKK 145 in low season (1 January–27 March) and DKK 205 in peak season (28 March–31 December); students pay DKK 75–105 and groups pay DKK 125–175 per person. Children and youth aged 0–17 enter free. Sold via the museum's webshop and at the walk-up entrance.
• Annual Pass (Årskort) Subscription annual pass providing unlimited museum admission for 12 months, plus one free guest, 10% discount on purchases, and free or discounted entry to seven partner open-air museums across Scandinavia. Adult DKK 525, Retiree DKK 460, Young 27 (ages 18–27) DKK 290. Members also receive the museum yearbook and access to ALLEY CAT events.
• Corporate Pass (Firmakort) B2B corporate membership card purchased by companies for employee benefits, valid 12 months. Firmakort+ at DKK 12,000 (excl. VAT) provides full-year access including high season (July and December); standard Firmakort at DKK 9,000 (excl. VAT) excludes July and December. Each pass admits one employee plus a companion daily and includes 10% discount on museum purchases.
• Gift Cards (Gavekort) Prepaid gift cards redeemable for museum admission and on-site purchases, sold as presents for museum visits.
• Guided Tours Professional guided tours in Danish, English, and German covering themes including market town history, 20th-century neighbourhoods, women's and children's daily lives, craftsmanship, health and illness, and the Mintmaster's Mansion. Priced EUR 100 per group (up to 20) on weekday daytime slots up to EUR 262 per group on weekend evenings. Add-on summer individual tours available at DKK 49 per person.
• Horse-Drawn Carriage Rides Scenic carriage rides through the museum grounds or to the Botanical Garden. Museum-route ride EUR 7 adult / EUR 5.50 child; extended Botanical Garden route EUR 13.50 adult. Seasonal offering coordinated by Mette Hagedorn.
• The House of Memory (Erindringsbesøg) Specialised sensory reminiscence programme for people affected by dementia, featuring an authentic 1950s flat environment. Includes guided tours, private gatherings, 'Memories together' sessions for spouses and relatives, and courses for healthcare professionals. Awarded the Luigi Micheletti Award 2016 and Nordic Centre of Heritage Learning and Creativity Award (NCK) 2016.
• Educational Programmes (Undervisningsforløb) Curriculum-aligned school programmes and educational visits for primary and secondary schools. Topics include 'Through the market town', 'Women's and children's daily lives', and themed craft and history sessions. Pre-registered school groups receive free admission via the [email protected] booking channel.
• Historical Shops Themed period retail shops operating inside the museum, including Boghandler Chr. Andersen (books), Gartneriet Bernstorff (plants), Pouls Radio (1970s electronics), Købmandsgårdens butik (groceries), Bagerforretningen (bakery), Museumsbutikken (gifts), Rahbeks minimarked (1970s convenience), Isenkræmmer S.P. Jepsen (hardware), Schous Sæbehus (soap/perfume), Gottlieb Blomsterforretning (flowers), Broderiboden (embroidery), and the main entrance shop.
• Dining & Eateries On-site restaurants and food venues including Konditoriet / Café Bonnich, Winekes Kælder (18th-century tavern), Gæstgivergården (inn), and various food stalls serving visitors throughout the museum grounds.
• Private Events & Conferences Venue rental for private parties, corporate meetings, conferences, weddings, and celebrations hosted within the historic museum setting, including the House of Memory for special gatherings.
• We Eat Together Communal Dinners

Quantifiable outcome

• Free admission for children and youth aged 0-17 years increases family accessibility and repeat visit likelihood.
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Marion and Jörg SchwandtcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Berlin-based married couple spent nearly 40 years building the world's largest collection of Danish silver jewellery from the 20th century. The collection was acquired by Den Gamle By in 2013 and forms the core of the Jewellery Box exhibition.
• Scandinavian open-air museums (Skansen, Kulturen, Gamla Linköping, Jamtli, Norsk Folkemuseum, Maihaugen)minorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorPartnership network providing reciprocal free admission benefits to annual pass holders. Annual pass holders receive free entry to 7 major Scandinavian open-air museums, creating cross-border value proposition for visitors.
• Danish museum and attraction partnersminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorPartnership network including Givskud Zoo, Vadehavscentret, Egeskov Slot, Koldinghus, Brandts, Aqua Akvarium, Ree Park Safari, Museet for Søfart, Frilandsmuseet Hjerl Hede, Jesperhus Blomsterpark, Randers Regnskov, Universe, and Tivoli Friheden providing 50% discount benefits to annual pass holders.
• Aarhus food makers (PARTIZANI GRILL, MLEKO BAR, RESTAU74, TALLERKENSMÆK)minorGTM or Marketing PartnerLocal Aarhus food establishments partner with Den Gamle By for the 'We Eat Together' communal dinner programme during 'Den Gamle by night' events in July. Each restaurant hosts one Tuesday dinner with themed menus reflecting their culinary identity.
• ALLEY CAT event artists (SOLACE, BAR' FUNK, DE4MAVER, HEJ LEIF, TRUBADUREN)minorGTM or Marketing PartnerAarhus-based artists and collectives partner with Den Gamle By for Thursday evening 'ALLEY CAT' events during July's 'Den Gamle by night' programme. Each artist takes over the 1970s courtyard with themed music performances.
• Top AttraktionerminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorDenmark's primary tourist attraction listing platform provides visibility and ticket distribution services for Den Gamle By as one of Denmark's top attractions.
• Botanisk Have (Botanical Garden)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerDen Gamle By is situated within the Botanical Garden, a public park that provides additional visitor traffic and creates a combined cultural-nature destination. Free admission to greenhouses benefits shared visitors.

Scale indicators10 records

Recent moves9 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Maihaugen: Open-air museum in Lillehammer, Norway, with relocated historical buildings and indoor exhibitions. Comparable scale and operating model; reciprocal partner museum.
• Norsk Folkemuseum: Norway's largest open-air museum in Oslo featuring historical buildings across eras. Directly comparable open-air museum operating model and reciprocal annual pass partner with Den Gamle By.
• Jamtli: Open-air museum in Östersund, Sweden, featuring historical buildings and living history experiences. Part of Den Gamle By's reciprocal Scandinavian partnership network.
• Kulturen: Open-air museum in Lund, Sweden, with historical buildings and cultural exhibitions. Comparable operating model; reciprocal free admission partner.
• Skansen: World's first open-air museum in Stockholm, Sweden. Spans multiple historical periods with relocated buildings, similar operating model to Den Gamle By. Reciprocal free admission partner for annual pass holders.
• Frilandsmuseet: Open-air museum near Copenhagen, part of the National Museum of Denmark, featuring historical rural and urban buildings. Same operational category as Den Gamle By with reciprocal benefits for pass holders.
• Gamla Linköping: Open-air heritage museum in Linköping, Sweden, featuring historical urban environments. Part of the Scandinavian reciprocal partnership network with Den Gamle By.

Regional players

• Viking Ship Museum (Roskilde): Specialized cultural museum in Roskilde, Denmark, featuring Viking-era ships and maritime archaeology. Comparable scale of Danish cultural tourism destination.
• Louisiana Museum of Modern Art: Denmark's preeminent art museum located north of Copenhagen. Comparable scale of operations, cultural institution profile, and target audience of cultural tourists in Denmark.
• Moesgaard Museum: Major cultural history museum in Aarhus, Denmark with permanent and special exhibitions. Same city as Den Gamle By, competing for local visitor and touristic attention.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/DenGamleBy
• YouTubeyoutube.com/denGamleBy
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/den-gamle-by
• Instagraminstagram.com/den_gamle_by
• Xx.com/den_gamle_by

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Den Gamble By