About Skansen
Skansen was founded in 1891 by Artur Hazelius to show how Swedes used to live before the industrial era. Around 150 historic farmhouses, churches, mills and workshops were dismantled in their original locations all over Sweden and re-erected on the hilltop of Djurgården, where they form a living open-air museum staffed by costumed interpreters.
What it is famous for
- The very first open-air museum in the world — a model copied by Scandinavia, Germany and beyond.
- A Nordic zoo with brown bears, wolves, lynx, wolverines, moose and Sámi reindeer.
- Traditional celebrations: Midsummer dancing around the maypole and the live televised Christmas concert on Christmas Eve.
- An aquarium and a glassworks where you can watch traditional glass-blowing.
Good to know
Skansen is open every day of the year. Opening hours vary considerably by season — in winter many buildings close earlier than the park itself. Bring sturdy shoes, as the museum is built on a hill.