Albert Engström's museum in Grisslehamn, Roslagen.

Writer: Helena Bergström

Updated: October 2026 | Albert Engström's museum in Grisslehamn tells the story of one of Sweden's most famous artists, writers and cartoonists. Albert Engström had his home here for many years, and out on the cliffs by the Åland Sea is his famous studio. We discovered the museum almost by chance during a motorhome trip in Roslagen and got an unexpectedly fascinating insight into both the artist's life and a bygone era.

Albert Engström Museum in Grisslehamn

We visited Albert Engström's museum during one of our motorhome trips in Roslagen. The museum visit was completely unplanned. We had checked into the nice Grisslehamns Marina & Camping and set out on a bike ride. When Albert Engström's museum suddenly appeared, we became curious.

The museum is located in Engströmgården, where the artist lived with his family. Here is also his famous studio, which is a short walk away, right by the sea.

Grisslehamn is located on Väddö in northern Roslagen, about 1.5–2 hours drive from Stockholm. The town is perhaps best known for its fishing port and the ferry to Åland, but the Albert Engström Museum is another reason to visit the place.

Visiting the Albert Engström Museum

The Albert Engström Museum is mainly open during the summer, and we were lucky with the timing of our visit. We arrived just before they were going to start reducing opening hours for the season. During the summer, the museum is a popular excursion destination, and in the courtyard there is also Café Kalaset, where you can sit down and have a coffee or something to eat.

When we arrived, we were greeted by a cheerful question: "Welcome! Would you like to join the guided tour that starts in a quarter of an hour? How fluid one can be sometimes!" Of course we said yes, and it would turn out to be one of the most interesting guided tours we have ever been on.

Who was Albert Engström really?

We can admit that we knew very little about Albert Engström before visiting the museum. We knew his name, and we had seen that famous drawing with the text ”Cancers demand these drinks.” We didn’t know much else, but that was about to change!

Albert Engström was born in 1869 in Lönneberga parish in Småland. You naturally think of Emil in Lönneberga when you hear the name, and there is actually a connection to Astrid Lindgren. Albert Engström and Astrid Lindgren's father were cousins.

Engström eventually became one of Sweden's most famous artists, writers and cartoonists. He founded the humor magazine Strix, among other things, and later became a member of the Swedish Academy.

His path to Roslagen was perhaps a bit winding, but in 1902 he moved to Grisslehamn. Here he found a place where he could work, socialize with friends and draw inspiration from the sea and the archipelago environment. The house was, as usual, a short distance from the sea. But at the very edge of the cliffs he had his studio built, with a fantastic view of the Åland Sea.

Guided tour of the studio

Albert Engström's studio is located in an almost magically beautiful location, at the far end of the cliffs by the sea. The house was completed in 1907 and was designed by Engström himself with the help of his student Carl Hagsten.

A special detail is the color scheme. The facades facing the sea are white, while the southern and western sides are painted with a pale red color. The white walls would allow the building to function as a navigational marker for boats out at sea. The studio is now a listed building, and the interior has been preserved largely as it looked in Engström's time.

Right next door is also a beautiful small sandy beach. During the tour we heard the story of how Albert Engström is said to have exchanged the beach for a garden. A charming story, no matter how much of it can be covered today!

Then it was time for our guided tour. We were a small group who entered the studio and sat down on the soft cushions. The guide talked non-stop for 45 minutes, and it could have been boring. But it never was. On the contrary, we didn't want it to end!

We heard about Albert Engström's upbringing and how tricky it could be to choose an artistic career when his parents had invested in an education that would lead to something more "serious", such as becoming a priest.

We also heard about how he eventually got to know many of Sweden's great cultural figures. What about a circle of acquaintances with names like Carl Larsson, August Strindberg, Anders Zorn, Erik Axel Karlfeldt, Verner von Heidenstam, Gustaf Fröding and Bruno Liljefors? It became a fascinating story about both an unusual person and an exciting time in Swedish cultural history.

The optical telegraph in Grisslehamn

On the way back from the studio to Albert Engström's museum, we passed the optical telegraph. An optical telegraph station was built at this location as early as 1796, to be able to send official and military messages. Using signals that could be read from other stations, it was possible to transmit information significantly faster than with the usual transport of the time.

Suddenly, messages could be sent between Grisslehamn and Stockholm in less than half an hour. What a difference compared to transporting information by horse, which could take several days!

The optical telegraph that stands here today is a reconstruction, built in 2014. It is an interesting little attraction that reminds us of how important Grisslehamn once was for communications across the Åland Sea.

Tour of the Albert Engström house

After the guided tour we were back where we started, at Engströmgården which was once Albert Engström's home. Here you can walk around on your own and peek into the different rooms, while reading information about the house and the people who lived here.

We were very impressed with a special lamp, with legs that resemble elephant trunks. Or should we say elephant trunk legs? New word! Isn't it beautiful?

It was also interesting to peek into the kitchen. There we were particularly struck by a bench that could be used to store as many as 300 eggs. Do you see it just below the window in the picture? We learned that people used to collect bird eggs, and there was obviously room for an impressive collection here.

Upstairs we could see Albert Engström's bedroom and an exhibition of caricatures from another time. One thing that struck us when we looked at the pictures was how different the view of women could be. The humor and social ideals say a lot about the time when the cartoons were created, and not everything really feels obvious to today's eyes.

That's one of the things that makes history museums so interesting. You don't just get to know a person, you also get to think about what society was like and how much it has changed.

We left the museum with significantly more knowledge about Albert Engström than when we arrived. And above all with the feeling that we had been very lucky to have arrived just in time for that guided tour!

More things to see and do in Grisslehamn

Grisslehamn is a cosy little archipelago town. From here you can take the Eckerö ferry to Åland. You can also stay at the luxurious Hotell Havsbaden or the beautiful Grisslehamn Marina & Camping.

READ MORE: Things to do in Grisslehamn in Roslagen