Big skies, home of pop sensation legends, dedicated bike lanes, sitting on 14 islands connected by many bridges, lots of canals, and the cool museums in Stockholm – so much awaits you in this largest city of Sweden.
It is said that the only road that can be ventured upon with a minimum of anxiety is the road to the past. It’s why Stockholm’s fabulous museums are such visited places. They unlock memories of worlds gone by and provide visitors with a few carefree hours.
Investigate ways to enhance your cool museums in Stockholm – visit experience
For people with the spirit of adventure who love exploring museums on an overcast day, Stockholm has many thrilling museums that promise you a fun, fascinating journey of discovery.
Also check out our post on The Highlights of Stockholm: What to See and Do
Do research to make your sightseeing in Stockholm more convenient. Investigate a digital pass as these include entry into some Stockholm museums as well as discounts on attractions. With your pass downloaded to your cellphone, you can save a whole lot of time and avoid lots of inconvenience. Buy your Stockholm all-inclusive pass here.
Some of the museums you get to see in Stockholm will be more interesting, bigger, better and more popular than others, but we‘re going to point out 9 cool museums in Stockholm that you just dare not miss.
ABBA Museum
There’s no doubt about it – this is one of the ultimate cool museums in Stockholm. The music of the Swedish supergroup formed in Stockholm in 1972 changed the world of music forever.
You simply cannot leave Stockholm without being involved with Agnetha Fältskog, Björn Ulvaeus, Benny Andersson, and Anni-Frid Lyngstad. You’ll be full of nostalgia as you listen to the likes of their top hits such as Super Trouper, Fernando, Knowing Me Knowing You, Dancing Queen, One of Us, and many others.
The museum is no ordinary museum and as a visitor to it, it’s like you actually become part of the phenomenal pop group. The museum is wheelchair accessible and child friendly. There are even interactive exhibits where you can perform on stage alongside Abba and dress up in virtual versions of some of their dazzling outfits.
This has to be one of the coolest, most interactive museums to visit and you can set aside a good view hours to explore all it offers. One of the exhibits is about the Mamma Mia movie but you’re also taken on a fabulous journey from their early beginnings to their breakup.
Opening times:
Monday to Sunday – 10.00 – 18.00
Admission prices:
Kids aged 7 – 15 – SEK 95.00
Adults – SEK 250.00
Family – SEK 595.00
Students – SEK 175.00
Bookings can be done online here.
Astrid Lindgren’s World
Step into a magical world of fairy tales at Astrid Lindgren’s World, a park where visitors can see their storybook characters come alive. The park was founded in 1981 and is located in the author’s birth town of Vimmerby.
Astrid Lindgren’s World receives thousands of visitors each year and there are also shows with live music and dancing.
The park is devoted to the Swedish author’s stories and characters as well as her protagonist, Pippi Longstocking. Children will be delighted to meet Pippi along with other book characters
Apart from her many books, Astrid Lindgren has also written scripts for film, theater, and TV and the park gives you a fascinating taste of her skills as a creative storyteller. The park offers a thrilling and immersive experience for families, right down to being able to explore replica towns and castles.
For kids, the park is full of imaginative play areas, and you can hear music and singing throughout the day. Remember, Astrid Lindgren’s home at Dalagatan 46 in Stockholm is where classics such as Pippi Longstocking were written. Guided tours of her home are open to the public as well and you need to book ahead of time.
Opening times for the park:
The park is open from May to August. It is also open over weekends in September and during the Swedish autumn school holiday.
Open Friday – Sunday – 10am-5pm.
Admission fees:
Kids under 2 – free of charge
Kids 3 – 14 – 220 SEK – Kids having a birthday enter free of charge. Mush show identification.
Adults 15 – 64 – 295 SEK
Over 65’s – 200 SEK
Book your tickets online here.
The Bergrummet Museum – Stockholm Toy Museum
Paradise awaits every child at The Bergrummet Museum, after all, they will be coming into contact with thousands of toys dating back to the 17th century and beyond.
It’s now known as the Stockholm Toy Museum, a place where your kids will be blown away with model cars and trains, action figures, dolls, dollhouses, comic books, and much more. There are also interactive play areas and several languages are provided on all exhibits inside the museum.
It’s the largest toy collection in a museum in northern Europe and is located in a tunnel system on the island Skeppsholmen in Stockholm. The collections of the Stockholm Toy Museum include some 40,000 toys from the 17th century onwards. This makes it the museum with the largest toy collection in northern Europe.
To make it easier for you to get to see exactly what you want, the exhibition is arranged according to themes. You never feel bewildered though because there are plenty of information screens explaining things in several languages of which English is one. There is also a small café and museum shop.
Opening times:
The museum is open all year round. The only time it is closed is on Christmas Eve, New Year’s Eve, and New Year’s Day.
1 January to 31 December – Wednesday – Sunday – 10:00 – 17:00.
Admission fees:
Regular price – 140 SEK
Children 0 – 3 years – Free
Children 4 – 18 years – 90 SEK
Students – 90 SEK
Pensioners – 110 SEK
Admission is by means of a card. No cash payments.
Each Tuesday there is a special regulation – groups with 3 people – a grandparent, a parent, and a child, do not pay entrance fees.
Vasa Museum
This is another of the cool museums in Stockholm. Be the captain of your ship and imagine guiding your vessel through treacherous waters to a safe harbor when you visit the extraordinary Vasa Museum.
Situated at Galärvarvsvägen 14, Stockholm, the museum is named after a massive 226-foot-long warship that capsized on its maiden voyage in 1628. It took more than a year for it to be eventually raised from the seabed.
Today it is the best-preserved 17th-century ship in the world and more than 98% of the ship is original. There are different exhibitions to be seen around the ship, a film in different languages, an audio guide for visitors to use on their mobile devices and there is also free wifi.
There is also a shop and a pleasant restaurant for lunch and Fika. With such wondrous sights and stories, it’s not surprising that the Vasa Museum is the most visited museum in Scandinavia, and millions throng through its doors each year.
Opening times:
Hours vary by the seasons. From June 1 to Aug. 31, the museum is open from 8:30 am. to 6 pm every day. From September 1 to May 31 the museum is open from 10 am to 8 pm.
The museum is closed on 24 and 25 December.
Admission Fees:
130 kronor for adults.
Free entry for those under 18.
Book your tickets online here.
Fotografiska – one of the cool museums in Stockholm
Set aside 2 or 3 hours to visit the Fotografiska Museum in the heart of Stockholm. Not only is it the fantastic exhibitions that depict the work of renowned photographers, but it’s a great place to be.
The museum is wheelchair friendly. It’s a must-see for anyone interested in photography and is well-curated, it is also one of the best museums in Stockholm. There is no time for boredom at this photographic museum as there are courses offered, workshops, and live bands. It was opened in 2010 in the Art Nouveau and receives well over 500,000 annual visitors.
Exhibitions are spread over 2 floors, with Fotografiska organizing about 25 exhibitions of works by various national and international photographers during the year.
There is also a gallery where you can buy works by photographers and the museum shop offers a wide selection of photo books. Apart from the awesome exhibitions, Fotografiska also offers lectures, workshops, and classes for amateur – and professional photographers.
Break your explorations with some refreshments at the restaurant and café and take in the spectacular views over Stockholm.
Opening times:
Entire year from January – 3. December
Monday – Sunday: 9:00 – 23:00 pm
Admission fees:
Regular price – 225 SEK
Kids 0 – 12 – Free of charge
Students – 185 SEK
Pensioners – 185 SEK
Book your tickets online here.
Nationalmuseum
Nationalmuseum, built between 1844 and 1866, is also commonly known as the National Museum of Fine Arts. King Gustavus III left the royal art collections to the Swedish people, housed in the Nationalmuseum.
Although the collections focus essentially on Swedish 18th and 19th-century paintings, French and Dutch artists are also represented. The 18th-century collection is considered one of the best in the world, and even the building is a work of art.
The museum was enlarged in 1961 and has undergone several renovations to ensure it is a safe, air-conditioned, modern institution. It’s also wheelchair accessible. It’s the largest art museum in Sweden.
As an art lover, you should be delighted to find works by great artists such as Renoir, Rembrandt, and Rubens. Drawings, paintings, and sculptures from the 16th century right up to the start of the 20th century are on show.
Opening hours:
Monday – closed
Tuesday and Wednesday – 11.00 am to 17.00pm
Thursday – 11.00 am to 21.00pm
Friday – 11.00 to 19.00pm
Saturday and Sunday 11.00 am to 17.00pm
Admission fees:
Free admission for all to the collections. However, tickets will be required for the temporary exhibitions. You can buy your ticket online in advance or buy it when you arrive at the museum.
Moderna Museet
Located on the island of Skeppsholmen in central Stockholm, this state museum offers an insight into modern and contemporary art. It was opened in May 1958. You’ll find international and Swedish works of art, and there are pieces by Pablo Picasso.
In November 1993, several works by Picasso and a couple by Georges Braque were stolen from this museum the burglars entering through the roof. Mercifully, the Picasso paintings were recovered and one of the Braque paintings was as well.
To enhance your visit to the museum, there is an audio guide app free of charge, allowing you to learn more about Moderna Museet’s collection and temporary exhibitions. Free wifi is available at the museum.
There is a sculpture park outside and a small viewing room where you can even see some experimental film work by Chaplin. Check out the museum calendar to check out upcoming events and exhibitions.
There is the Moderna Museet’s shop where you can find art products, photography- and design-related gifts, and more than 3000 book titles.
Opening hours:
Monday – closed
Tuesday – 10.00 – 20.00 pm
Wednesday and Thursday – 10.00 – 18.00pm
Friday – 10.00 – 20.00pm
Saturday and Sunday – 10.00 to 18.00
Admission fees:
Special exhibitions can have their own prices ranging from SEK 80-120.
Book you tickets online here.
Hallwylska Museet
You’ll be blown away by the stunning collection of art in baroque-style rooms in the awesome Hallwylska Museet, and the coolest thing – it’s all free – most of it. This treasure in Stockholm opposite Berzelii Park is utterly unique as the museum is in a house.
The building was built in 1893-1898 for Count Walther von Hallwyl and his wife Wilhelmina. It was Wilhelmina von Hallwyl who was a passionate art collector. She made sure that in her will the house with its collection of more than 50,000 art objects is preserved as a museum.
The rooms are magnificently furnished in sheer opulence – from the time that the family lived here. It was later donated to the state in the 1920s. The amazing historical home museum makes it easy for visitors as each room has descriptions about it in English.
Admission prices: Some of the areas of the house are free to see. A guided tour of about 50 minutes will get you access to certain rooms that are closed to the general public.
Opening hours:
Monday – closed
Tuesday – 12.00-16.00
Wednesday -12.00-19.00
Thursday – 12.00-16.00
Friday – 12.00-16.00
Saturday – 11.00-17.00
Sunday – 11.00-17.00
Guided tours in English:
June: Saturday – Sunday 12:30 pm
July & August – Tuesday – Sunday 10:30 am, 12:30 pm
September–May: Saturday 1:30 pm
Tickets for the guided tour cost SEK 100 for adults and are free for youngsters under 19 years of age.
General museum visits – free of charge.
For temporary exhibitions, ticket will be SEK 80 for adults over 19 years of age.
Millesgården
Think Stockholm is too busy and noisy for you? Maybe it’s time to venture to Stockholm’s Millesgarden, a large park that will soothe your soul. The property was bought by artist couple Carl and Olga Milles. Later on, Millesgården was transformed into a foundation and gifted to the Swedish people.
Since then, The Woodland chapel was added and it’s the burial site for Carl and Olga Milles. One of the newest additions to the wheelchair-accessible house museum is the Millesgården Art Hall, which was designed by architect Johan Celsing.
You’ll be spellbound by the art museum and sculpture garden, located on the island of Lidingö in Stockholm.
You’ll need a couple of hours to visit this tranquil garden with its large sculpture park, restaurant, art gallery, antique collection, and museum shop. There are quite a few solo exhibitions during the year. If you want you can book a guided tour of Millesgården which lasts about an hour.
Opening hours:
Tuesday – Sunday 11 am – 5 pm (Opening hours sometimes change because of certain events).
Admission fees:
An annual pass costs SEK 275. The annual pass gives you free admission during regular opening hours for a full year. It can be bought at their museum shop. The regular price is SEK 170.
Fun turned up full blast with the best of Stockholm’s museums
With so many thrilling things to experience in Stockholm, you’ll struggle to find a bored local or tourist.
Luckily you don’t have to go far to find awesome things to do and a whole lot of fun, knowledge, and relaxation is within your reach with the coolest museums in Stockholm.
