Annika Zobel Agerled and Karl-Oskar Olsen on their favourite places to visit with their children

For parents Annika and Karl-Oskar, it’s important to not only bring their two kids, Noam and Alban, to playgrounds but also to various events, from gallery openings to work trips because they want to share life’s great experiences with them. It is essential for Annika, co-founder of the tableware company Akua Objects, and Karl-Oskar, founder of the cycling brand Pas Normal Studios, that they, too, feel stimulated and inspired by the places they visit.

Ordrupgaard Museum and Art Park

KARL-OSKAR: “The children become incredibly inventive when they run around the garden’s sculpture playground. They explore the labyrinth, the playhouse that hovers above the ground and the vast bamboo installation that resembles something from a fairy tale. It’s a playful place, and we witness their imagination unfold whenever we visit. I love the museum’s collection of Lundstrøm and Hammershøi works, and the new extension by architect Zaha Hadid. Leaving here, we all feel mentally and physically stimulated.”

ANNIKA: “It’s important for me to introduce my children to places that I find inspiring; places that held a special significance in my own childhood. I used to visit Ordrupgaard frequently, particularly with my grandmother, who would take me out to the garden. It will always remind me of her. I associate the beautiful garden with peace and serenity, and this is something I hope to pass on to Noam and Alban. It’s quite easy now, as we live just next door.”

→ North of Copenhagen, @ordrupgaard Inside the art museum Ordrupgaard, there are rotating exhibitions alongside a great collection of Danish and French art from the 20th and 21st centuries. Outside at the art park, you can enjoy interactive works by artists like Olafur Eliasson and Jeppe Hein

The Open Air Museum 

ANNIKA: “The Open Air Museum is an incredibly inspiring place because it transports you back in time and showcases how people lived in the old days and how their houses were structured. It’s enriching to stroll around with your children and talk about the things they notice. They find it exciting, and they are always curious about many different things, like why the beds were so small and why the doors were so low – some of them are almost hobbit-sized. They embark on a journey of discovery into another world, and it stimulates their imagination. I also feel uplifted when we wander around the museum. 

It is one of the most impressive places to discover colours: the faded shades of deep red, the smouldering orange and the soft dove blue flow together and create a symphony of colours that tell stories of warm summer days on the cobblestones and long, cold winters in the living rooms. The colour combinations are quite unique because they are both modern and historical at the same time. The facades, doors and panels are so beautiful. I can draw inspiration from them when designing for my brand of glassware, Akua Objects.”

→ North of Copenhagen, @frilandsmuseet The Open Air Museum in Lyngby is one of the oldest and largest open air museums in the world. The museum holds more than 50 farms, mills and houses from the period 1650-1940 and gives you the chance to step back into old Denmark, as it was in the past.

The Rose Garden in Hellerup Harbour

KARL-OSKAR: “We are looking for playgrounds where we can also be stimulated. The Rose Garden is an excellent choice because it immerses you in the heart of a small local community unfolding around Hellerup Harbour. Elderly ladies enjoy the benches in the park, craftsmen maintain the old optimist dinghies and young people gather on the beach – all against the backdrop of rackets hitting balls on the tennis courts. Despite being in the midst of this vibrant community, the harbour is not overly crowded, and the playground is often peaceful. You feel as though you have a bit of privacy, even though you are at a central meeting point.” 

ANNIKA: “The playground at The Rose Garden in Hellerup Harbour is really good, especially for smaller children like Alban and Noam, because it is small and fenced off. For us parents, it is a beautiful place to spend time while the children play. The sculptures and roses around the garden are wonderful. It is also a playground where I spent time as a child. I was often there with my grandmother and then I could climb up the tower in the playground and look over at my father’s aunt playing tennis – these are some pleasant memories.”

→ North of Copenhagen In the small park adjacent to Hellerup Beach and Harbour, visitors can discover The Rose Garden, a diverse floral park

Experimentarium 

KARL-OSKAR: “Our son Alban is completely engaged and enthusiastic when we visit the Experimentarium. He loves it. There are so many things that fascinate him, so it’s difficult for him to stay in one place for very long before rushing onto the next thing. We’ve spent a lot of time by the laser installation that allows you to make music using your hands. As a child, It’s cool when you are allowed to wear a construction helmet. I think the interaction that the children have with the different experiences and that they use their senses is enormously enriching for them. They can live out a fantasy world in reality.” 

ANNIKA: “I like that the place stimulates you mentally, both as an adult and as a child. Every time we’ve been there, we’ve discovered and learned something new. I think the gift shop is absolutely brilliant. I love the little things with planets and games where you have to use your head to solve the puzzles.“

→ North of Copenhagen, @experimentarium Denmark’s leading science centre has been capturing the imagination of adults and children alike since undergoing extensive renovations and reopening in 2017. Here, you can encase yourself in a giant soap bubble, ride a rodeo armchair or experience what it’s like to be a baby in the womb.