Historically an important navy location, the fortress closed in 1855. Since then there has been no operable military infrastructure on the archipelago, but it remains under the formal administration of the Ministry of Defence, which employs 25 to 30 people for maintaining the islands' civilian infrastructure, museum and historical buildings. Today the economy of Ertholmene is almost entirely based on tourism, with tens of thousands of visitors each year, the majority on day-trips from Bornholm during the summer months. The archipelago's buildings and nature are protected by law, and access to the uninhabited islands is restricted.
Historically an important navy location, the fortress closed in 1855. Since then there has been no operable military infrastructure on the archipelago, but it remains under the formal administration of the Ministry of Defence, which employs 25 to 30 people for maintaining the islands' civilian infrastructure, museum and historical buildings. Today the economy of Ertholmene is almost entirely based on tourism, with tens of thousands of visitors each year, the majority on day-trips from Bornholm during the summer months The archipelago's buildings and nature are protected by law, and access to the uninhabited islands is restricted.