The History of the Institution

The institution was built between 1899 and 1901 and, in its basic form, consisted of a work home for male and female people with intellectual disabilities who were able to carry out work. It included a school home for children with special needs, an asylum farm for people with intellectual disabilities and extensive support needs, as well as a number of utility buildings, including farms, workshops, etc. The institution also included a church, a water tower and the two island institutions on Livø and Sprogø.

The institution was built by Christian Keller (1858–1934), who wanted to create a place where the residents could have light, fresh air and live as normal a life as possible. Each department had views of the fjord, the parks and the forests. At the same time, however, the institution was also a place of isolation, as in the 1920s and 1930s there was a fear that the residents’ hereditary traits could negatively affect the Danish population.

The History of the Institution in Recent Times

After the Second World War, the perception of people with intellectual disabilities gradually changed. Terms such as “åndssvage” and later “evnesvage” were gradually replaced by the term “udviklingshæmmede”. In 1968, the institution, now called De Kellerske Institutioner, opened a new section south of the asylum, where the most independent people with intellectual disabilities became part of a number of smaller residential communities. In 1990, the institution closed, and the residents were moved into apartments and smaller housing units in the area. From 1990 to 2002, the old institutional buildings were partly used as a refugee centre. Later, a continuation school (Kvindehjemmet), apartments (Mandshjemmet and Skolehjemmet) and Hotel Asylgården were established in the old institutional buildings dating from around 1900.

Today, around 250 people with intellectual disabilities still live in the area.

Walking Tour Around the Keller Institutions

The area around the buildings is incredibly beautiful and a lovely place for a walk. Download the walking guide for the institution on the Kellers Minde museum website, where it is also possible to read more about the history:

Follow this link and find the walking route on kellersminde.dk Vandreturen (kellersminde.dk)
Follow this link and read more about the Kellers Minde museum. Hjem (kellersminde.dk)