Tidö castle in Västerås - with a bicycle and motorbike museum

Writer: Helena Bergström

Updated: October 2026 | Tidö Castle outside Västerås offers history from the great power era, imaginative sculptures and an impressive collection of motorcycles. In the Stone Stable there is both the MC Collection and a bicycle museum. We have visited Tidö on several occasions and returned in 2024 together with our South African friends Henri and Michelle. That time we finally got to discover the museums – and were really impressed!

Our visits to Tidö Castle

On our first visit to Tidö Castle, we walked around the castle grounds and looked at the buildings and sculptures. The museums were not open when we arrived, so we had a good reason to return.

The next opportunity came during a motorhome trip with Henri and Michelle in 2024. Henri rides a motorcycle himself, so the MC Collection was a particularly good place to go on a joint excursion. For us, the museum was also a new acquaintance.

What we thought? Very nice! There were many fascinating motorcycles to look at, and the collection was nicely presented. Tidö turned out to have much more to offer than what we had seen during our first walk.

Tidö Castle – history from the time of great power

Tidö Castle is located southwest of Västerås and is a well-preserved castle from the 17th century. Axel Oxenstierna, Gustav II Adolf's chancellor and one of the guardians of the young Queen Christina, had the building built between 1625 and 1641.

Architects Simon de la Vallée and Nicodemus Tessin the Elder were involved towards the end of the construction period. The castle was built in austere Dutch Renaissance style, with beautiful sandstone portals as prominent details.

Tidö remained in the possession of the Oxenstiern family until 1840. After several changes of ownership, it was purchased by Carl-David von Schinkel in 1890. The castle has since been managed by the von Schinkel family and is still a private residence.

The castle park and the imaginative sculptures

You don't have to go inside the castle to appreciate a visit to Tidö. The castle grounds are nice to walk around, and on our first visit we were particularly drawn to the sculptures.

A mighty bird of prey greeted us before the entrance, and around the castle we discovered more imaginative figures. One of our favorites was an angel riding a fish. Details like these make it fun to walk around with the camera and take a closer look.

Oldenburg – the ruins of the older castle

Tidö's history began before today's castle. The older castle, which was later named Oldenburg, was probably built at the end of the 15th century. Anna Åkesdotter Bååt, who married Axel Oxenstierna, lived here.

Oldenburg is today a ruin within the deer enclosure and, according to the castle's information, cannot be visited. It is therefore part of the history of the place, but not a stop where you can go in and explore the remains.

MC Collection – a collection that impressed us

In the Stone Stables at Tidö Castle is the MC Collection, with motorcycles from the early 1900s onwards. The exhibition also tells the story of the people behind the motorcycles: riders, designers and other personalities connected to motorcycle history.

The collection changes with the seasons, as motorcycles and themes change, so it's worth checking what's on display when planning your visit.

We appreciated both the number of fascinating motorcycles and how well they were presented. This was a museum that impressed us, and the visit was especially fitting as we had a motorcycle-enthusiast friend with us.

During our visit in 2024, we also saw a smaller number of cool cars. Motorcycles were the main attraction, but there were more vehicles that attracted attention.

Tidö Castle Bicycle Museum

In the same building is the Tidö Castle Bicycle Museum, which is included in the same admission ticket as the MC Collection. Here you can follow the development of the bicycle from early wooden velocipedes to modern special bikes. The exhibition provides a different perspective on two-wheeled vehicles and complements the motorcycle collection with design and technology history.

For us, the combination of motorcycles, bicycles and castle surroundings was a nice stop during our motorhome trip.

Visit Tidö Castle's state apartment with a guide

If you also want to see the inside of the castle, you need to plan a guided tour. The state apartment is only shown with a guide, and the castle tours have their own schedule that differs from the museums' opening hours.

During a tour, visitors can see the Knights' Hall, the Yellow Salon, the Gallery and the Blue Dining Room. Here you will find historical interiors, portraits and furniture from different periods. Our own visits have included the castle environment and the museums, so we still have the state apartment to discover.

Check Tidö Castle's current viewing information before your trip. When updated in October 2026, the website refers to upcoming public viewings in 2027.

What happened to the toy museum on Tidö?

The former toy and comic museum closed on Tidö in the fall of 2016 and opened in Bergrummet on Skeppsholmen in Stockholm in 2017. It later became known as the Stockholm Toy Museum. At the time of this update, the museum in Bergrummet is closed and its future is unclear. It should therefore not be confused with the bicycle and motorcycle exhibitions located on Tidö.

Combine with Rytterne church ruins

If you are traveling by car or camper, Rytterne church ruins are a great stop to combine with Tidö Castle. Both are located along the Tidö tourist route, although you need to make a detour to reach Stora Rytterne.

Lilla Rytterne church ruin

The last service in the old Lilla Rytterne church was held in 1817. When the new Rytterne church was built, materials from the older building were used. Today, a ruin remains where you can stop and imagine what the church once looked like. The ground is partly uneven, and to get into the ruin itself you have to step over boulders.

Stora Rytterne kyrkoruin

At Stora Rytterne there are both the church ruins and two stones from the 11th century that are usually described together as rune stones. The site thus provides an insight into several stages of the area's history. The two church ruins were restored starting in the 1930s and are now also used for church services and other church events during the summer.

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