What a fun little surprise while in town over the weekend visiting Solvang! The Hans Christian Andersen Museum is located on top of The Book Loft in the heart of Solvang. It is free of charge to check out and I highly suggest you take a few minutes out of your visit to check it out - it is worth it! I loved learning all about the books he wrote - from The Little Mermaid to The Princess and The Pea to The Ugly Duckling to even The Emperor's New Clothes. There are so many more that I grew up reading! I really loved seeing the replica of his childhood home, learning about his life and work as well as seeing all of the different versions and editions of each of his stories. While he passed away in 1875, the city of Solvang still celebrates all of his accomplishments and spirit. They even had a Little Mermaid fountain across the street that's a must see as well! Check it out! read more

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This is inside the Book loft on the 2.5 floor. What a great experience to learn about an author of fairy tales. He used writing Along with his imagination to escape. This museum is free or by donation. Def enjoyed reading and learning about his life as an a artist and author read more

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Informative museum with info to read on Hans Christian Anderson upstairs in a bookstore. Museum is free and takes donations. Museum is a bit small but you can spend about an hour here if you do thoroughly read everything. Very interesting to read how Hans influenced so many modern Disney movies that we know today. Definitely a fun visit, especially for those who enjoy reading. read more

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Small museum inside a bookstore. Free to visit and I enjoyed my time there to learn more about Anderson and his books. read more

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Hans Christian Andersen Museum - Solvang Such a sweet hidden gem in Solvang This small, free museum is located upstairs above The Book Loft, and it's absolutely worth the visit. The museum beautifully celebrates the life and works of Hans Christian Andersen, with exhibits about his famous stories, his friendship with singer Jenny Lind, and philanthropist Jean Hersholt. I loved seeing the displays of his letters, poetry, and intricate paper-cut art so personal and fascinating. Even though it's small, it's full of heart and history. They also offer tours and host an annual celebration for Andersen's birthday, which makes it feel extra special. If you love literature, fairy tales, or Danish history, this museum is a charming and meaningful stop while exploring Solvang Highly recommend! read more

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HCA museum is a tiny museum dedicated to Hans Christian Andersen books. It is located in downtown Solvang. If you like books this museum is for you. This museum is a good place to bring kids. Overall, it's a nice museum for family and kids. read more

Hans Christian Andersen Museum - Museums Near Me - Solvang, California

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A nice little stop in Solvang, located upstairs above a bookstore and gift shop. Free to enter and full of interesting info. If you take the time to read the exhibits, you'll have a good laugh realizing just how much Disney rips off classic authors! It's definitely more of a reading experience than an interactive one, so be aware that kids will probably get bored pretty quickly. Also, the space is tight--definitely not stroller or wagon friendly. For adults, there is plenty of interesting history here. You can really connect the dots on just how much modern media "borrows" from original authors and cultures LOL. Logistics: Parking is very difficult to find, especially around the holidays, so pack your patience. On the bright side, there are plenty of places to eat right outside the door once you are done. read more

It was a great display everything was a treat to learn everything he did in live was great! read more

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Books, books, and more books. The HCA museum and book store is a must visit in solvang. He was responsible for the inspiration of many of the classics we enjoy to this day. My girls loved tbe little museum and the models of what things looked like when HCA was around. Also his life story and the inspiration behind some of his writings. The books tire is a bit pricey but they have a lot of really cool gifts and stationary ! Very friendly staff would visit again but don't feel like I need to go back. I just love book stores though! read more

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Very interesting and informative museum. It's free and small, the second floor is the museum and the first floor is a bookstore. It's more a read and look type of museum- not really for toddlers. My eldest daughter about age 8 did enjoy reading the info plaque and seeing the little miniatures as well as historical items. If it's on your way, something nice to stop by but I wouldn't go out of my way. We enjoyed looking at the little mermaid pop up book but they don't sell it there. read more

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Beautifully maintained museum. It's free but a donation of $5 is appreciated, but not required (if you have cash). It goes into the clear, plastic box upstairs near the desk. The museum had a mix of books, poetry and historical facts relevant to Hans Christian Andersen and artifacts regarding Denmark. I particularly liked the heavy wooden shoes. Wow, it must have been difficult to wear! But they're so artfully made. One of his most famous works is The Little Mermaid but he also wrote Little Match Girl, Princess and the Pea, the Emperor's New Clothes, Ugly Duckling and so many more. This museum transitions into the Book Loft, which is a bookstore located on the lower level. If you're a history or book lover, this is definitely worth the visit. read more

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This is a free museum that celebrates the work of Hans Christian Andersen. It's small and has some information on his life and his stories... lots of fun facts. Located over a quaint book shop. You do have to climb stairs to get to the museum which is on the second level. No elevators, as it's an old building. Worth at least one visit if you are a book and story fan. read more

Hans Christian Andersen Museum - Museums Near Me - Solvang, California

Very cool bookstore and museum full of old books. Stumbled upon this cute old bookstore while walking around in Solvang. It was very fascinating, I love that they have the original version of the story that Hans Christian Anderson wrote as well as the Disney versions which is completely different. Very nostalgic! read more

Hans Christian Andersen Museum - Museums Near Me - Solvang, California

Cute little museum above a local book store. Worth a visit, takes maybe 15 minutes. Mostly old prints of his books, but there's some paper cutting art that was cool. read more

Small but mighty! Located in the upstairs of the awesome Book Loft is this ode to Hans Christian Anderson. I loved looking at all the various book covers of his works as I find artwork and localization fascinating. I learned a lot about his life and history. It was a good quick stop in the heart of an awesome bookstore. read more

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A Plot to be Desired Located on the top floor of the The Book Loft (a bookstore doy) is a small museum that pays homage to Danish author Hans Christian Andersen. The museum is run by the non-profit Ugly Duckling Foundation, whose sole mission is to "...foster and promote the public understanding enjoyment of the library other works of Hans Christian Andersen." The museum is small and showcases the amazing literary works of Mr. Andersen, who without him, Disney® would be completely bankrupt of ideas years ago. The museum is free to visit, and you can buy books and swag to support the museum. Conclusion: Free to visit and can be seen in less than ten minutes. It's worth the stop, especially if you're a fan of literature. read more

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Solvang's Book Loft is already a lovely place to explore, but when you enter this cozy space dedicated to Hans Christian Andersen, you'll be charmed by the impressive collection of classic works by the famed author and exhibits showcasing his life and history. His fairytales remind me of my childhood, and though his stories taught me life lessons and enhanced my imagination, there's so much about the writer I never knew. I am particularly fascinated by his remarkable paper cuttings, some of which are on display here. The museum is small, but it's free to visit and absolutely worth checking out. read more

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The Hans Christian Anderson museum is a small exhibit and library located on the second floor of the Book Loft. The museum houses his famous books including Thumbelina, the Emperor's New Clothes (was adapted to a movie), the Snow Queen (The movie Frozen was based on), The Princess and the Pea, The Ugly Duckling, and the super famous, The Little Mermaid, and others. The exhibit details and showcases Andersen's professional and some of his personal life. There are artifacts and replicas including a small replica of his childhood home. There is an opportunity to donate to the museum as well as memorabilia available. It utilizes a small space but, I did observe a parent reading to her child. Depending how many visitors are present, a visitor may have an opportunity to sit and enjoy a book. Overall, this is a charming and very nice homage to the great Hans Christian Andersen. read more

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This is one of my favorite places I visited on my trip to Solvang! It is a small museum that is free but you can donate money for its cause.I might be a bit biased as I loved this author since I was a kid and I learned lots of new information about him.  There was a very cute house replica and it was quite unique, I do not remember seeing anything like that in any other museum. There were shelves filled with Han's books translated into different languages, which was quite cool: not only you can see what books in other languages look like but also see the differences in art styles. read more

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Came across this museum while walking around Solvang, it's on the second story above the book store. It's a free museum with a donation box just in case you'd like to donate, I found it very informative about Hans Christian Andersen's life as well as his inspiration for his stories, overall it was a good visit and I learned a lot about him! read more

"To move, to breathe, to fly, to float, To gain all while you give, To roam the roads of lands remote: To travel is to live." ~Hans Christian Andersen My husband and I decided to visit the museum while we were in Solvang to learn more about this famous Danish author! Hans Christian Andersen lived in the slums of Odense in a small yellow half-timbered home. His father Hans Andersen was a cobbler and his mother, Anne Marie Andersdatter was a washerwoman. At 14, with a great imagination for storytelling, he decided to move to Copenhagen and ended up becoming one of the most famous authors in the world!! Although he didn't marry, he had many friends and supporters of his work! He tragically died of liver cancer at the ripe old age of 70. His most famous books that we grew up with and then passed down to our children, Thumbelina, The Princess and the Pea, The Emperor's New Clothes, The Ugly Duckling, The Tinderbox, The Little Match Girl, The Snow Queen and The Little Mermaid! His stories even got the attention of Disney, The Snow Queen inspired them to make the movie Frozen! The most famous was The Little Mermaid, inspired by his fairytale written in 1836! Warner Brothers made my personal favorite movie inspired by his fairytale, Thumbelina! I would HIGHLY recommend visiting this museum, it's located upstairs and admission is free! They have a donation box in the museum as well. The Book Loft is located downstairs! While your in Solvang, make sure to check out The Little Mermaid Fountain! This is the bronze replica of Copenhagen's most famous tourist attraction, The Little Mermaid Statue! read more

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It's more of a small exhibit in a bookstore, takes only a few minutes to walkthrough. This also means the collection is a display of the highlights. Personally I liked it as I learned a bit more without taking too much time. However, if you're more interested in numerous collections, might be a letdown for you. read more

Free museum upstairs and nice bookstore downstairs! It is a quick stop in Solvang and worth checking out even once if you like Little Mermaid and other Hans Christian Andersen stories/books. read more

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This museum is really just a partial upstairs of a bookstore, so manage your expectations accordingly. But admission is free and it's a nice way to spend 15 or so minutes. The replica of HCA's house is very cute. There is a tiny mouse in the visible portion of the attic, which made me chuckle. read more

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Free museum and a total treat for Hans Christian Andersen enthusiasts. I had spent a semester in college studying, analyzing, and writing papers on Andersen's works, so I was really excited to stop by here in Solvang. It's here because: 1. HCA was born in Denmark 2. Solvang was founded by Danish Americans from the Midwest who purchased 9000 acres in 1910 to establish a Danish colony and folk school. Solvang means "Sunny Field" in Danish 3. Kathy and Gary Mullins, the owners of The Book Loft, established the non profit Ugly Duckling Foundation in 1989 and donated the books and artifacts for the exhibits and the operating capital and space for the HCA Museum. The museum is on the second floor of the bookstore The Book Loft. It's really just one large room full of shelves and display cases, a large HCA bust statue, and of course, there's books of Andersen's works for sale on the shelves. It's free to visit, and has a lot of posterboards with details about Andersen's life. Definitely worth a quick visit for fairy tale lovers. read more

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I've heard of Little Mermaid and all but little did I know the genius behind not only that story but others as well! Here was my experience. AMBIANCE: Parking: Street parking. It all depends on the time and any weekend of events you have. Exhibit: It's pretty much a bookstore. You get a wide range of books for fiction to non-fiction, plenty of board games, art, and nice informative displays and artifacts of the legend, Hans Christian Anderson! TL;DR OVERALL: 4.5 stars. Fantastic! I appreciated this place. I learned a little bit about the legend and appreciated the wide range of books. It's more of a bookstore than a museum in my opinion but regardless, I enjoy its charm. If there were more reading spots, I wouldn't mind hanging out here. Regardless if you're a bookworm or not, do check this place out to learn a thing or two about Hans' work. Tips: * Check their website for events read more

Hans Christian Andersen Museum - Woot! - Museums Near Me - Solvang, California

Not a whole lot to see here. Stop in and spend 10-15 minutes. The woman working was doing a good job at sharing her enthusiasm about him with the visitors. Thankfully, no fee to enter. I think a basket for donations would be a good idea. read more

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How disappointing that in 2024 this museum has no accessibility for disabled visitors (ie, an elevator). There's nothing about this listed in their website, either. I know the buildings in Solvang are old but it seems a lot of others have found ways to add elevators. Sad this isn't one of them. The bookstore is super cute but I didn't buy anything because I can't give money to a store that doesn't have ADA accommodation. read more

This little museum had some memorabilia on Hans Christian Andersen'a famous works. A set of plates with the fairy tales in them, a bust of him, books about his life and times, a miniature replica of his childhood home. There is a $5 donation and counter but there was no one manning it when we were there. It would have been helpful to have someone to ask questions of or tell some of the history. This was a cute 10 minute walk through. read more

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The Hans Christian Andersen Museum is located upstairs in the Book Loft bookstore, and it's a small, but cute little museum dedicated to the author. They have a sculpture of him, a doll house model of his home, information about him, and lots of his books! Free to visit and cute. Worth a stop if you're nearby. read more

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Unfortunately we had a terrible experience at the bookstore today. Apparently, during our visit, my son had thrown a book, but the people working there didn't mention this to myself or my husband. When we were checking out, the individual asked why we weren't purchasing that book. The remark was made in a very rude way, and again, this was not addressed real time. When I tried to speak with the individual about children with special needs and how we are trying to implement a love of reading for our son, she was very dismissive. We go to used bookstores around the country and have never been treated this way. Buyer beware if you have children with special needs or are different than what they may want in their store. Of note - any book that my son touched was not in any way damaged and all were returned to their proper shelf. read more

Cute little bookstore! The exhibit is upstairs. No elevator. Definitely a fun little place to visit! read more

Hans Christian Andersen Museum - Museums Near Me - Solvang, California

Really cute museum located on the second floor of an adorable bookstore. Even if you stopped and read every plaque you probably couldn't spend more than 20-30 minutes here but it's a nice space to check out and learn more about Hans Christian Andersen (also it's free so consider it a bonus to the bookstore trip). Great selection of story compilations. I picked up a beautiful copy of his most famous stories. The woman who works there was very helpful and knowledgeable. read more

Definitely more of a children's book store than a museum. It was still interesting to walk through as I did not realize that he wrote so many classics, but as someone who is not a big Disney fan I was a bit underwhelmed. It is free admission so still worth perusing while visiting Solvang, but for all the hype this man gets across town I thought the museum would be a little more lively read more

I loved this place. As a child I read Hans Christian books. Being in the museum and book store was truly amazing.

A typical bookstore/ library. Nice location and a nice spot to just take a break from all the walking and hustle and bustle of Solvang tourist stuff. read more

A cool little museum and a bookstore at solvang. They sell varieties of books and souvenirs. If you're enjoying the small town, you might as well wander into this place. The museum has some cool display and a bit of history, too. The walkways are narrow, but it's great for families. read more

Hans Christian Andersen Museum - Hans? - Museums Near Me - Solvang, California

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If you like these fairy tales from Andersen, you will not want to miss this small museum and bookstore. It's free to public. The museum is on second floor when the bookstore is on the street level. There's no restroom for public usage. But you can find it in nearby park which is only a few steps away. read more

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Worth a visit for literature lovers The Hans Christian Andersen Museum is one of the attractions in Solvang and it's free! It is located upstairs in The Book Loft on Mission Drive. There is also a connecting coffee house downstairs. The museum is small but it is packed with history about the author. It showcases exhibits and displays detailing his life and work including a handcrafted Andersen doll, a model of the author's childhood home, antique tools for making wooden shoes... and, of course, lots of volumes of Hans Christian Andersen books. I first knew about this author early in my childhood years when my Mom bought me my first children's book: The Princess and The Pea. I treasured that book but, unfortunately, I no longer have it in my possession. I wished I had kept it. You might recognize some of his popular fairy tale stories including The Little Mermaid, The Emperor's New Clothes, Thumbelina and The Ugly Duckling. These books where translated into more than 100 languages and there is a section in the museum where some of these international books are displayed. Did not stay long as this was my second visit to the museum and I think it is worth stopping by. Review #1008 read more

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This is a cute little free museum that has tons of books, art, and displays about the author Hans Christian Anderson. For being a free museum, I think it was cute. It was definitely small and quaint - really just one large room with shelves and display cases to check out. read more

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