Special exhibition
31. dec. 2023—29. nov. 2026
Strandings and shipwrecks around Rømø
The Sea Captain's House - The barn
The Wadden Sea brought wealth, but it came at a price. Explore the history of the ships that never returned home and the brave souls who braved the storm to save lives and cargo.
In the barn at The Sea Captain's House, the Rømø Local Museum tells the story of merchant ships from the 18th and 19th centuries, loaded with cocoa, herring and animal skins, which were shipwrecked off the coast of Rømø. About sailors who risked their lives. And about the islanders who waded out into the waves and cold to rescue lives and cargo.
1.
Accidents, rescues and temptations
Delve into stories of fateful shipwrecks and strandings. For example, you can hear how some ships drifted around the North Sea, exposed to wind and weather, only to eventually run aground at Rømø. Due to the low foreshores and numerous sandbanks, up to 11 kilometres off the coast, the sea around Rømø has presented unexpected dangers.
2.
Save what can be saved
The life guard's primary task was to rescue the crews of stranded ships. This was followed by the collection of all valuable items – sometimes a demanding task – while avoiding being beaten to it by beachcombers. On the wood-poor island of Rømø, where all timber had to be imported, the shipwreck auction was a good place to buy wreckage to repair and build houses and fences.
3.
The life guards
The line between living and surviving at sea can be very fine. The exhibition tells the story of Rømø's rescue service. From the time when the rescue workers consisted of the men and boys who happened to be on the island, to 1873, when the island got its first rescue station, and up to the present day.
Closed today
Closed
Admission
