The Open Air Stage is in many ways Tivoli's powerhouse, presenting performances by talented amateurs within music, dance, gymnastics etc. The Open Air Stage also provides the setting for Friday Rock, Swingtime, Sunday Fun and special festive days when Denmark is celebrating something, such as a victory in cycling or football, an anniversary or anything else that matters to the general public. 

The Open Air Stage is the name of the stage as well as the large area in front of it. For over 100 years this area was covered in gravel, but since 2010 the area in front of the Open Air Stage has been grass-covered during the summer months. The lawn is rolled out as large mats. 

The Open Air Stage building (1968) was designed by Simon Henningsen, the son of Poul Henningsen (PH) and Tivoli's chief architect for many years. The building consists of a stage and a restaurant. The roof structure is a stylised shell and the restaurant's original name was in fact The Pearl. Presumably, it is a greeting from son to father: Simon wanted to make a modern version of his father's shell-shaped open air stage, which stood there during the period 1942 to 1949.

DEVELOPMENT PLAN FOR TIVOLI

The Danish designer and social critic Poul Henningsen (PH) was Tivoli's chief architect from 1940 to 1950. PH was one of the driving forces (together with G. N. Brandt and Hans Hansen) behind the 1945 development plan for Tivoli. The plan was established in connection with Tivoli's 100th anniversary and its reconstruction after the Schalburgtage (German counter-sabotage) in 1944, when half of Tivoli was burnt down. The development plan divided Tivoli into a traditional tivoli, a park tivoli and a popular tivoli, a division which is maintained to this day. The traditional part of Tivoli comprises The Pantomime Theatre and the other old buildings, The Tivoli Boys Guard, etc. The park part of Tivoli comprises the lake, the trees and the vegetation. The popular part of Tivoli comprises the rides, games and general entertainment – in PH's day it was dancing; today it is Friday Rock and the Music Week.

PH'S GLASS HALL THEATRE

PH was a modern designer who believed in functionalism and minimalism. When it came to Tivoli, however, he had great respect for tradition and the special style which existed here. Therefore, the result of PH's work with The Glass Hall Theatre in 1943 was a building in light pavilion style, with carvings and decorative details exactly as The Glass Hall Theatre had been since 1898. The Glass Hall Theatre was also completely destroyed by the Schalburgtage (German counter-sabotage) in 1944, but thanks to PH's drawings from the restoration, the hall was quickly rebuilt as he had imagined it.

MODERN TIVOLI STYLE

PH's funny, spinning spiral lamp from 1949 can still be seen in Tivoli at the Lake and in Parterrehaven (The Parterre Garden). PH's wooden vessels can still be seen in The Parterre Garden. The spiral lamp has the characteristic lamellae that PH so often put in his work, and a typical 'modern' shape. The colour scheme and the red candy stripe make the lamp unpretentious and Tivoli-like. This combination of strict and stylised shape and colourful decoration were characteristic of the modern Tivoli design that Simon Henningsen was responsible for. Examples of modern Tivoli design from that time are the Tivoli Concert Hall (Fritz Schlegel, 1956), The Open Air Stage (Simon Henningsen, 1968), The Promenade (Simon Henningsen, 1968), The Conch Lamp (Louis Weisdorf, 1964), The Spiral Lamp (PH, 1949)

- A bust of Tivoli's first Pierrot, Niels Henrik Volkersen, 1896. Sculpted by Aksel Hansen. Erected in front of The Pantomime Theatre.

- A bust of Tivoli's founder Georg Carstensen, 1868. Sculpted by Professor C. Peters. Erected in front of Nimb.

- Boblespringvandet (The Water Fountain), 1961. Designed by Eigil Kiær. Situated in front of Nimb.

- Aladdin's Well, 1958. Sculpted by Henrik Starcke, 1958. Erected next to Nimb.

- Greenlandic sculpture, 2005. Sculpted by Christian Rosing. Erected next to Woodhouse.

- Statue of Georg Carstensen, 1903. Sculptured by Anders Bundgaard. Erected in front of the Concert Hall

- Sculpture/relief, 1966. Sculpted by Børge Jørgensen. Mounted on the facade over Gave Butikken (the Gift Shop), close to the Ferris Wheel.

- Statue of H.C. Lumbye, 1930. Sculpted by Svend Rathsack. Erected next to the Harmony Pavilion.

- A monument to composer H. C. Lumbye, Tivoli's first music director, 1874. Sculpted by Pacht. Erected near the Glass Hall Theatre.

- The ceramic basins in front of the Glass Hall Theatre, 1985. Designed by Lin Utzon.

- Fountain, 1989. Sculpted by Arje Griegst. Erected near Madklubben (The Food Club).

- Dragonflies in the Tivoli Lake, 1958. By Erik "Spjæt" Christensen. Located on the northern side of the Tivoli Lake next to Parterrehaven (The Parterre Garden).

ONE OF THE WORLD'S OLDEST

Tivoli's wooden Roller Coaster dates back to 1914 and is one of the world's oldest wooden roller coasters still in operation. The track is 720m long (including 95 metres of sidings and the workshop). The cars can achieve a maximum speed of around 50 km/h. The track is constructed so that no energy is transferred to the cars after they have climbed the first hill; in other words, it is the sheer force of gravity that powers the coaster cars. 

A train of cars weighs approximately 2000 kg. The cars are slowed down by the 'brakeman' at all turns to prevent excessive speed. The braking system consists of two metal wings which are pressed against the side of the track. Therefore, force must be applied in order to stop the train. 

Tivoli's own specialists are responsible for all of the Roller Coaster's maintenance. They replace planks and track sections when required, they paint and lubricate the cars in the winter, and they replace the cable used to pull the cars uphill. 
During the Roller Coaster ride, guests can look into the Fun House, which is built into the Roller Coaster Mountain, as are The Mine and The Alley's stands. 

There was energy rationing during the Second World War. Therefore, the roller coaster cars were pulled up the first hill by strong men operating a winch, installed on the roof of the ride.

SEVEN SECONDS OF THRILL

Tivoli has had a Roller Coaster since 1843. The first Roller Coaster was a source of both joy and indignation. Joy on the part of the visitors who enjoyed the seven thrilling seconds the ride lasted and indignation among members of the press who felt that people should be spending their energy on political issues and their money on more practical things.

Fragrant remontant roses grow in the rose beds in front of the Tivoli Concert Hall. The yellow roses around Carstensen's statue are called Tivoli 150. They were given this name on the occasion of Tivoli's 150th anniversary in 1993.