Flugt Museum in Oksbøl struggles to meet visitor targets, prompting financial revisions by Vardemuseerne

When the Flugt Museum opened in Oksbøl, Denmark, it was with grand ambitions. Designed by renowned architect Bjarke Ingels, the museum welcomed its first guests in 2022 with a goal of attracting 100,000 visitors annually. However, that target has proven elusive, with only 65,911 visitors recorded last year, and projections indicating an even lower turnout this year.

This decline has forced Vardemuseerne, the museum’s managing organization, to revise their financial expectations downward by nearly 4 million Danish kroner. From January to August, approximately 17,000 fewer visitors than anticipated visited the museum, which focuses on the influx of refugees following World War II. Claus Kjeld Jensen, Director of Vardemuseerne, acknowledged the difficulty in predicting visitor numbers for new museums, admitting that they had miscalculated with Flugt.

Despite the disappointing numbers, local leaders, including Mads Sørensen, the mayor of Varde Municipality, remain optimistic. They now have better insights into peak visitation times and plan to enhance marketing strategies accordingly. Last year, there was a generalized decline in visitors outside the capital, with an increase in the capital itself, complicating predictions.

Experts suggest various factors may influence visitor numbers, including weather conditions, local economic circumstances, and the museum’s offerings. The museum occupies parts of a former refugee camp that once accommodated up to 35,000 Germans after the war and includes exhibits on the experiences of different refugee groups. Despite current challenges, Vardemuseerne anticipates finishing the year with a modest profit of around 400,000 kroner.