Sjöhistoriska museet in Stockholm - a child-friendly museum

The Maritime Museum in Stockholm is located in Museiparken on northern Djurgården. It is home to a number of museums, and at the Sjöhistoriska you can learn more about the history of shipping and the navy. The museum is also very well adapted for children and families with children.

To the Maritime Museum in Stockholm

How did we get to the Maritime Museum in Stockholm? We cycled with our electric bikes, of course. Other options include taking a car or bus. Right here, at Museiparken on Djurgårdsbrunnsvägen, there is a whole range of museums. We managed to visit two on this day, so the others are left for another weekend!

Sjöhistoriska is a nice museum with free entry, suitable for those who like shipping and for those with children. We happened to come here on the sports holiday (we don't know about that!) and it wasn't quite smart, but otherwise we were happy with the visit.

Exhibitions at the Maritime Museum in Stockholm

The Maritime Museum in Stockholm has a number of different exhibitions. We haven't really understood if they are all core exhibitions, or if some change over time, but here are some reflections from the exhibitions we saw.

Amphion

The first exhibition we checked out at the Maritime Museum was "Amphion", which is about Gustav III's magnificent yacht. Since we had just visited Hagaparken in Solnawhich also bears many traces of the "theatre king" Gustav III, this was particularly interesting.

You can see the impressively preserved rear section, inspired by the luxury of the French court at Versailles. You can also take a look inside and see how the 'fine people' lived on board. Not too shabby!

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Travellers

Another exhibition we liked was the "Travellers" exhibition. This is not so much about the boats themselves, but about the people who travelled with the Swedish trading company "Swenska Ost-Indiska Compagniet".

In the 18th century, these ships took to the high seas to trade with countries such as China. In addition to trade, some joined for scientific purposes or out of a desire to travel.

The exhibition takes visitors on a journey where the ship calls at various harbours on its way to Canton (Guangzhou) in China. Starting in Gothenburg, it takes a year and a half, during which time it passes through Cadiz, Cape Town, Java, St Helena and Ascension.

Ready ship!

"Ready ship!" is the command before a naval battle. The ship must be prepared and the crew must take up their battle positions. In this exhibition you will find the museum's large collection of naval models. The models showcase the Swedish Navy's ships from the 18th century to the present day, ranging from frigates to submarines. One of the models (first picture) was probably built in the 17th century.

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Women are not often mentioned in naval documents, but in 1790 two women were awarded the Medal of Valour for their actions in Gustav III's war against Russia. One of them, Anna Maria Engstén, was left alone on a boat taking on water. After several days of labouring at the rudder and bilge pump, she managed to bring the boat to the Sveaborg.

Shipping & shopping

The Shipping & Shopping exhibition is about trade journeys, both earlier and later in history.

galleons

The Maritime Museum in Stockholm has one of the largest collections of figureheads in the country. The ships are often gone, but the figureheads remain. Some are really cool!

Beloved ship

The 'Beloved Ships' exhibition features 70 of the 400 (!) ship portraits in the Maritime Museum's collection.

More exhibitions at the Maritime Museum

In addition to the exhibitions mentioned above, there is "I save lives", which deals with the efforts of the Coast Guard and the Sea Rescue Society. There are also staircase displays and basement displays. In summer, you can also visit Galärvarvet, where you will find the lighthouse ship Finngrundet, the icebreaker Sankt Erik, the museum pier and the "Dyktankhuset".

For children at the Maritime Museum

The Maritime Museum in Stockholm is very well adapted for children, and we understand why many families with children like to visit here. There are changing rooms, breastfeeding rooms, lunch rooms and pushchair parking.

There are also many activities for children and families. The Blubb playroom is designed for children aged 0-6 and includes a slide and opportunities to crawl, squeeze, feel and listen to stories.

In the Ruskpricken creative workshop, children and adults can work together to create everything from boats to sea animals. The workshop is open most Saturdays and Sundays during autumn, winter and spring, and educators are on hand.

For anyone without children, and who wants to look around in peace and quiet, it can be a hot tip to avoid the sports holidays, haha. Have you been to the Maritime Museum in Stockholm? What did you think?

Facts about the Maritime Museum in Stockholm

• Address: Djurgårdsbrunnsvägen 24, Stockholm
• Location: In Museiparken at Djurgårdsbrunnsparken in Ladugårdsgärdet.
• More info: You can find more information at the museum's website.

Opening hours

• Regular opening hours: Tuesday - Sunday 10:00-17:00 (2020)
• Different opening hours: Opening hours may be longer or shorter on certain days. See the museum's website for current information.
• Archives and libraries: Tuesday - Wednesday 12:00-17:00 (2020)

Prices

• Entrance: The museum has free admission (2020).
• Creators' workshop: Children who want to craft in the Ruskpricken creative workshop pay 50 SEK for the cost of materials (2020).
• Guided tours for groups: Group tours are available for a fee. See the museum's website for current prices.

Services and practical information

• For families with children: Changing rooms and breastfeeding rooms are on the basement level, as well as a canteen with a microwave.
• Storage: There are storage lockers on the basement level.
• Food service: Bistro Östberg serves lunch, sandwiches and coffee. There is also a canteen with microwave ovens.
• Library: The Maritime Museum has about 60,000 books in the maritime field. The books cannot be borrowed at home but are read on site.
• Archive: The museum's archives contain documents on shipping and boats. The archive is open to the public on Tuesdays and Wednesdays from 12-16 (2020).

Tours and activities

• Guided tours: Tours are given every day at 13:00 in English and 14:00 in Swedish (2020). On weekends and holidays, family tours are organised.
• Guided group tours: Group tours can be booked during the day or in the evening (for a fee). Tours can be organised with different themes.
• School programmes: There are special programmes for schools, from pre-school to adult education. See the museum's website for more information.
• Activities: In addition to tours, lectures, film screenings and holiday activities are organised. See the calendar on the museum's website.
• Activities for children: Various activities are organised for children, especially during the holidays. Children can also become members of the "Seamen's Club".
• Recreational boats: The museum has a collection of pleasure boats and also issues K-labelling to old pleasure boats.

Accessibility

• Parking: Parking spaces for people with a disabled parking permit are available at the back of the museum, two metres from the lift, and at the main entrance. 
• Entrance: There is a ramp at the main entrance. The door opening is 100 cm. There is a lift at the back of the museum. There is an intercom for contacting the entrance staff. The door opening is 110 cm.
• Wheelchair: Wheelchairs can be borrowed from the entrance.
• Customised views: It is possible to pre-book guided tours with sign support (for a fee). Portable hearing loops can be borrowed for all tours. Free tours are also organised for people with dementia and their families.
• Dogs: Dogs are not allowed in the museum, but are welcome on the outdoor terrace facing the water.

Getting to the Maritime Museum

• Bus: Take bus 69 from Centralen. Please note that the bus route may be closed due to various events.
• Car: There is a large car park outside the museums. You pay by the hour, 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
• Bicycle: Cycling is possible, of course, and there are bicycle racks.
• Go for a walk: It is a nice walk from Djurgårdsbron to the museum. You can get to Djurgårdsbron by bus 76, bus 67 or tram line 7.