Skansen Open-Air Museum

Why Visit Skansen Museum?

Skansen Museum, established in 1891, is the world’s oldest open-air museum.

When you visit Skansen, you’re met with a miniature version of Sweden. The houses and surroundings reflect Swedish lifestyles from the 16th to the 20th century.

Inside the houses, designed in period style, Swedes dressed in traditional clothing reenact daily life. For example, as seen in the photo below, there was a woman in one house making cheese in a cauldron while dressed in traditional Swedish attire. You can also see women cooking in the photo at the end of this article. Animal husbandry is depicted in the farms outside the houses. There’s even a church, Seglora Church, which was used for weddings, baptisms, and worship in the 18th century. There are many other examples like this.

Besides the houses and farms, there is also a zoo, making it an ideal spot to spend time with children. You can also visit a herb garden and a rose garden.

Festivals and celebrations are held for events like Swedish National Day (June 6), Easter, and Christmas, with different activities organized during these occasions.

Shopping at Skansen Museum

The museum has a shop where you can buy Swedish-specific products, a pottery shop offering handmade items, and handmade glass objects that include artistic decorations. There’s also a bakery famous for its cinnamon rolls.

Eating and Drinking at Skansen Museum

Since exploring Skansen takes quite some time, grabbing something to eat or drink is a must. We opted for dessert. At Skansen Terrassen, it’s hard to resist the urge to sit down and enjoy something. A variety of sweet and savory pastries are displayed on a table, and they taste as good as they look. It’s also a great place to grab a drink.

In addition to Skansen Terrassen, there are four other restaurants where you can dine.

How to Get to Skansen Museum

We walked along the coast from the city center to get there, and if the weather is nice, it makes for an enjoyable walk. It’s not recommended to drive as parking is quite challenging to find in the area.

If you prefer public transportation from the city center, you can take buses 69 or 69K and transfer to tram No. 7 at one of the following stops: Norrmalmstorg, Nybroplan, Styrmansgatan, or Djurgårdsbron. Honestly, public transport seemed a bit more complicated to me, so I think walking is the best option.

For other transport options and up-to-date ticket prices and opening hours, you can check their official website.

Here are my other articles on Stockholm: Things to Do in Stockholm , Best Cafes & Restaurants in Stockholm