Best Museums To Visit In Stockholm

Skansen

As I wrote in a previous post, Skansen is one of the places in Stockholm that you absolutely shouldn't miss. It is the World's oldest open-air museum, established in 1891, and it includes old buildings from all over Sweden, as well as a Zoo. It takes up a huge area in the island of Djurgården, so make sure to reserve enough time to explore it.

Going to Skansen for the first time was an absolute dream for me. I didn't research much before I went there and I hadn't been to any open-air museum before, so you can only imagine how marvelled I was when I found myself surrounded by historical buildings that were transported from all corners of Sweden, all the way to Stockholm, and put in a museum that makes its visitors feel as though they are travelling back in time. The cobblestone streets leading to charming backyards took me all the way back to the 1800s and little did I know that the whole experience was about to become even more fantastic.

Cobblestone streets of Skansen

When I reached a cute little square, surrounded by wooden buildings and their adjacent vegetable gardens, I noticed a sign on a door: "Turn the key to open the door". Suddenly I felt like a kid again. I turned the key, pushed the door open and suddenly I was in a store from centuries ago. A friendly man behind the counter welcomed me in and explained that he was the owner of that store from the 1800s. As I am sure he noticed, I was absolutely fascinated by all the exotic things on display all over the store, so he asked me if I would like to see what the most popular items were - to which I answered with an enthusiastic "Of course!". He took up some boxes of spices, salt and many other products that were essential for the customers shopping at that store in the 1800s, while explaining how the products made their way to Sweden in boats coming all the way from Asia and other far-away places.

The interior of another remarkable store in Skansen: this time a pharmacy from the past

Walking away from that cosy corner of the Museum where I had learned so much, I was amazed once again when I realized that the school building was open for visitors as well. Entering that old building and seeing a classroom just as it would have looked in the beginning of the 1900s was another magical experience. Suddenly I found myself sitting at a desk where kids had sat a century ago, to get educated in hopes of improving their lives in a time when Sweden was so extremely poor. A man acting as teacher proceeded to explain to all of the visitors how a school day would have looked like in that school during the beginning of the 20th century. Once again, Skansen had the power to take me back in time.

The school at Skansen

Those were just some of the many fascinating places I got to visit in Skansen. I can honestly say that the first time I visited Skansen was one of the most special days in my life. At every new corner, I found another building I could enter and where I could learn so much about Sweden's History, and I felt like a kid again. A stop for Fika at the local picturesque coffeshop just made the experience even more special and unforgettable. The whole atmosphere has to be experienced in order to be understood.

Having Fika at Skansen

For people who would like to see Nordic animals, Skansen is very interesting as well. Once you've gone through the cosy alleys surrounded by historical buildings that Skansen has to offer, you will come to the Zoo part where you will be able to see animals like bears, reindeers and moose. Especially for people visiting with children, that is clearly the most exciting part of the whole day. But remember that some animals hibernate, so if you are visiting during winter you won't be able to spot them. The wintery atmosphere of a Skansen covered in powdery white snow might make up for it though.

For tourists in Stockholm, Skansen is the only chance at a glimpse of nordic animals

If you visit Stockholm during winter and want to head to Skansen, you will be pleased to find an incredible Christmas market with countless stalls selling all kinds of Christmassy delights. The whole atmosphere makes a visit to Skansen well worth it, making countless visitors flock to Skansen to experience the cosy Christmas market.

Skansen's Christmas Market

Another highlight of the winter season in Sweden is Lucia, a very cosy tradition held every year on the 13th of December, with celebrations all over the country. During Lucia, groups of people dressed in white dresses sing songs about light and darkness - something that is obviously very important up in the North. In each Lucia celebration, one girl will be the highlight, with a beautiful candle crown in her head to illuminate the darkness all around - she is considered the "Lucia", the bearer of light.

The Lucia celebrations in Skansen are arguably the most beautiful and special in the whole Stockholm, since they are held at the museum's beautiful wooden Church. They are so popular that people queue for hours to make sure they have a spot - been there, done that and it was totally worth it.

Lucia celebration at Skansen

If, on the other hand, you are planning a summer trip to Stockholm, you will have the chance to experience totally different things at Skansen. The biggest National Day celebration is held at Skansen on the 6th of June and there is a beautiful Midsummer celebration held there every year as well, on the Friday and Saturday between the 20th and 26th of June. Midsummer is a big deal in Sweden and, even though the best celebrations are out in the countryside, if you are in Stockholm you will probably have Skansen's celebration as your best choice.

If you are visiting in late summer or the beginning of Autumn, you will be pleased to find a cosy Autumn market and other fall activities all around Skansen. You will be able to see the changes in Nature all over the Museum's amazing landscape and when visiting the different houses and farms within the museum, you will get the chance to speak to actors who will gladly explain how the daily lives of people in Sweden were hundreds of years ago when Autumn approached.

Autumn exhibition at Skansen

As I am sure you understood by now, I am totally fascinated by Skansen and it is my absolute favorite place. I have been there dozens of times throughout the years, experienced all the seasons and different celebrations in that lovely place, and never got enough of it. I would live there if they'd let me. Each visit is different and their carefully planed events and activities make it the absolute most special place I have ever visited.

Vasa Museum

Even though the Vasa Museum's theme is not as broad as Skansen's, since it only focuses on the Vasa ship that is in display in the middle of the Museum, it is a must visit while you are in Stockholm. It is one of the most visited museums in the whole Scandinavia and that is for a good reason.

Vasa is a Swedish warship that was built between 1626 and 1628 and sank straight after beginning its maiden voyage, due to a faulty design. The sunken ship was forgotten for quite a while at the bottom of the sea, but after lying there for 333 years, a great effort was made to take it up to surface and let the World appreciate its beauty and History. On April 24th of 1961, thousands of people gathered in Stockholm in order to witness the amazing feat of bringing up a sunken warship from the 17th century. Nowadays, visitors of the Vasa Museum can see it in an amazing display that is sure to take your breath away even if you couldn't care less about ships. Trust me, I have seen really reluctant and uninterested tourists completely change their minds about Vasa Museum as soon as they entered the door and saw the huge majestic warship in its full splendor at the center of the museum.

Fotografiska

I won't claim this is a must visit for every tourist in Stockholm, but if you are the artsy type you would likely be interested in Fotografiska: the Museum of Photography. In fact, it is the biggest photography museum in the World, so give it a chance and read on before you make up your mind about it.

From unknown photographers to World-renowned artists, Fotografiska exhibits the greatest photographs they come across. Going to that museum by the water in Stockholm is sure to delight visitors who are into photography, but due to the big spectrum of different themes exhibited at the museum, other visitors could find a visit to be quite interesting as well. More than just art hanging on the walls, Fotografiska offers other unforgettable experiences, like a World-renowned restaurant with food grown locally in a sustainable way. In fact, it was awarded The Best Museum Restaurant in the World in 2017, which in itself could make a visit worthy if you are a foodie.

If you have an interest in society issues, you are likely to be interested in visiting Fotografiska, since the museum partners up with NGOs to raise awareness about several important subjects. Through photography, you will be able to navigate different worldviews and contrasting issues that impact the lives of people all over the World. A good example of such an eye-opening exhibition is the one called Girls on the Move, where visitors can learn about the lives of migrant girls from all corners of the Earth.

If you are in it for the photography itself, expect to find breathtaking exhibitions that will leave you thinking about them long after you have left the museum's rooms. Either way, you are likely not to regret a visit to such a unique museum.

Medieval Museum

Built around remainings of the 16th century town wall of Stockholm, the Medieval Museum in Stockholm is a fascinating place to visit for anyone who is interested in History. And you won't even have to go out of your way to reach it, since it is right by the Royal Palace, at the most center location you can think of, even though it quite often ends up being overlooked by tourists who pass by it without ever realizing what they are missing out on.

At the Medieval Museum, visitors have the chance to learn about how people lived in Sweden during medieval times, through reconstructed buildings that recreate an incredible atmosphere in which visitors can let their imagination fly to the past. Standing in a recreated market square and seeing how a medieval church would have looked like sure makes it more interesting to learn about History than just staring at artifacts. Apart from that, you can even see a medieval cemetery and a warship, as well as 55 meters of the medieval wall mentioned above.

Some objects that show visitors how people lived in Sweden during medieval times

Did you get a taste for some Historical content during your future visit to Stockholm, but don't want to go wild on the spending in that remarkably expensive city? All the more reason to head to the Medieval Museum: it is free of charge.