Response from the museum board: We have - again - one of the most visionary museum leaders in Denmark

Recently, there have been letters to the editor in Dagbladet Ringkøbing-Skjern questioning whether Ringkøbing Fjord Museum's development is respectful of the previous management, the prioritization of Skjern in this development, and the museum director Mette Bjerrum Jensen's skills.

As new and former directors of the museum, we want to express our support for and explanation of why the museum's current development is a natural extension of the previous management's principles, and that we have full confidence that Mette Bjerrum Jensen is the right person for the director position.

Ringkøbing Fjord Museer, as we are now called, is the result of several municipal and museum mergers throughout the museum's more than 100-year history. The oldest part of the current museum was born by citizens of Ringkøbing in 1908, and the same story unfolded in Skjern a few years later. In 2006, the former Skjern-Egvad Museum merged with the former Ringkøbing Museum. Here the museum grew in number of visitor sites and visitors. In general, the museum director at the time, Kim Clausen, was far-sighted and good at seizing opportunities to develop the museum. There have not been many years in the museum's history when the number of visitor sites and activities has been the same as the year before. And this is precisely what we see as one of the strengths of the museum under the previous management: the entrepreneurial, change-oriented spirit that focused on the stories of the great landscape, the changing needs of visitors and a healthy economy based on admission revenue. This is exactly what the museum's current development plan builds on!

Just as the museum has had many locations, we have also tried many different ways of communicating. Our approach is still to bring history alive - as it has been for many years. This has been tried through animal shows and Christmas markets at Bundsbæk Mølle, and at "Night at the Museum" in Ringkøbing. As long as the audience is supportive enough, the museum has held them. But when the audience fails to the extent that it becomes a loss-making business, we have to look at the bottom line. That's responsible museum management.

In response to concerns about the condition of Bundsbæk Mill, we can announce that Bundsbæk Mølle will be open again this summer after a couple of years where the corona has left its mark. In addition, this year the museum has planned to replace the thatched roof on the mill, and we have an application pending to replace the sleeper path. These are all activities that are only possible thanks to a great deal of voluntary commitment.

Volunteers' willingness to take matters into their own hands and help make Bundsbæk presentable and vibrant is crucial. It's generally difficult to find seasonal staff throughout the tourism industry. So it's crucial for us to let locals take part in the museum as volunteers, and not just be passive guests. This is another great tradition from the old Skjern-Egvad Museum, which we are working hard to continue after a couple of corona years that have changed our entire way of engaging as volunteers. From the museum's side, we are very grateful for those of you who want Bundsbæk and are actively doing something to make it happen! But we have room for many more hands. Anyone who would like to volunteer can contact the museum.

Finally, we would like to remind you that good museums in 2023 - and the Danish Museum Act - are serious about creating good and contemporary historical experiences based on financial responsibility. We are proud that with Mette Bjerrum Jensen succeeding Kim Clausen, we once again have one of the most visionary museum leaders in Denmark. In addition to having a PhD in museum science and thus a solid, professional background and a great understanding of the museum world at home and abroad, she and the museum's talented staff also base the museum's development plans on future expectations for our museums.

Calling the museum's communication pseudo-experiences or falsification of history seems unfounded and unrelated to the museum experiences that 236,000 visitors paid admission for last year.