On 17 and 18 May Museum Ovartaci finally opened the doors to a brand-new fantastic museum after relocating twice and years of preparation.

The opening of the museum was marked with three festive opening events. The museum would like to thank all the guest, who stopped by the museum and helped making the days festive and memorable.

On 17 May HRH The Crown Princess arrived to participate in the opening of Museum Ovartaci and was welcomed by a proud and happy museum director. After opening speeches by museum director Mia Lejsted and mayor Jakob Bundsgaard The Crown Princess cut the green ribbon for the exhibition before being shown around in the exhibition by museum director Mia Lejsted and the collection manager Lise Kabel. The Crown Princess was interested and took her time to immerse herself and inquire about different aspects, objects and works in the exhibition. After the tour The Crown Princess met employees and users of Frirummet - the museum’s creative workshop for mentally vulnerable. The Crown Princess was excited and clearly touched by the meeting.

On Wednesday evening sponsors, partners and members of Friends of Museum Ovartaci marked the opening of the museum. Opening speeches were given by museum director Mia Lejsted and Councillor for Social Affairs and Employment Anders Winnerskjold, who also cut the ribbon for the exhibition.

On Thursday 18 May the museum celebrated the reopening with a big public celebration. It was a pleasure to see the many guests who despite the beautiful weather visited the museum. More than 1,000 guests attended the opening which offered speeches, lectures, mini concerts, and creative fun for the family at the workshop for children and youth.

Although we at Museum Ovartaci have a strong team of volunteers who help keep the museum running daily, the opening events were such big events that we had to get outside help.

In February, we recruited volunteers from ReThinkers Aarhus – an organization of volunteers under Visit Aarhus. As many as 60 external volunteers helped in the days surrounding the opening, in addition to the museum's own volunteers. We would like to thank these fantastic people who spent parts of and/or whole days making the arrangements a success.

THANK YOU !!!

Museum director Mia Lejsted: "... we are a museum with something on our mind. We are part of a wide range of partnerships and collaborations and offer activities for children and young people. It is obvious because the artists of the museum give us unique access to the fragile and multifaceted mind. Through art, we become familiar with the fact that the world can look different than we thought, and we encourage dialogue about difficult topics in a society where every third of us comes into contact with psychiatry."

Mayor Jakob Bundsgaard: "...Art moves us, takes a stand on society and everyday life around us - and challenges us.

With art we can get a new language for the good and difficult things in life. We can lose ourselves in another world that we otherwise don't have access to.

And we gain an ability to see thoughts and feelings that otherwise cannot be expressed. This is exactly what Museum Ovartaci can do.”

Councilor for Social Affairs and Employment Anders Winnerskjold:

"As a councillor and a native of Aarhus, I am proud of the cultural life that you can experience in our city. It is places like Museum Ovartaci that help to give inhabitants of Aarhus, Danes from all over the country and even international guests fantastic and different experiences. You help putting Aarhus on both the national and world maps. "

Forewoman of Friends of Museum Ovartaci Hanne Teglhus:

” This is a day of joy. (...)It is the day when the museum once again shows and tells the history of psychiatry and illustrate it with some of the psychiatric objects that the museum, with timely care, has preserved.

It is cultural heritage and Danish history and a unique and positive Aarhus story.”

Members of Friends of Museum Ovartaci (Museum Ovartacis Venner) help ensure the museum's continued existence and its important work of making a difference to others by removing prejudices and creating understanding about mental illness through art and cultural history.

In other words: Museum Ovartaci needs you!

Everyone needs good friends – a museum does too. As a member of Friends of Museum Ovartaci you get several benefits including invitation to events, openings and pre-views, a special membership price on selected events and our newsletter with information and news.

As a member of Friends of Museum Ovartaci you support the museum and ensure the important work of making a difference for others by removing prejudice about mental illness and creating understanding about mental illness through art.

The membership fee is DKK 225 a year.