Visiting Skansen - open-air museum in Stockholm

Visiting Skansen in Stockholm can be very enjoyable. Skansen can be visited all year round and offers beautiful historical environments, Nordic animals and many different activities and events. This December there was of course a Christmas market!

Skansen in Stockholm

Skansen is an open-air museum and zoo founded in 1891 by folklorist Arthur Hazelius. Concerned about the loss of Swedish folk culture, Hazelius travelled around the country in 1872 collecting objects and literature.

The collections grew over time, and based on these, both the Nordic Museum and Skansen were created. Today, Skansen is extremely popular and the open-air museum attracted over 1.4 million visitors in 2019.

Skansen is located on Djurgården in Stockholm, within the Royal National City Park.

Visiting Skansen in Stockholm

Skansen is one of the most popular destinations in Stockholm, visited by locals as well as Swedish and foreign tourists. Under normal circumstances, Skansen is open every day, all year round, and there is always something new going on. As well as always being able to see historic buildings and Nordic animals, there are also concerts, Allsång på Skansen, markets, craft activities and activities for children.

We were here on the last weekend before Christmas, which meant that there was a Christmas market and lots of activities such as singing, dancing around the tree, crafts, Christmas crafts and everything else.

Visiting Skansen is not completely free (we paid 220 SEK/person), but you get a lot for your money. If you plan to visit more than once during the year, it's worth looking into an annual pass, which pays for itself very quickly.

Historic buildings

The Skansen area is large, and there are a fantastic number of historic buildings here. For example, you can see Seglora Church, which comes from Seglora parish in Västergötland and was built between 1729 and 1730. The church tells the story of a time when religion was at the centre of Sweden, and is still popular for weddings and baptisms.

Two other buildings that stand out, or rather stand up, are the Håsjöstapeln and the Bredablick lookout tower. Håsjöstapeln is a replica of a 21 metre high bell tower at Håsjö church in Jämtland. The Bredablick tower is a so-called "belvedere" (lookout tower after an Italian model) that was built in 1874-1876.

Some much older cultural and historical memories that can be viewed at Skansen are a number of rune stones. The picture below shows the Ölsastenen from Gryta parish in Uppland. The stone is painted as it is believed that the rune stones originally looked like.

There are also lots of crofts, sheds, cottages, farmhouses and farms of different types and from different times. Each building has a sign telling you about its history and original location.

If you want to see a little more urbanisation, you can look around the city quarters. Here you can visit the Savings Bank, the bakery, the pottery, the shoemaker, the book printer, the goldsmith's house, the carpentry factory, the sheet metal shop, the ironmonger's house and many other exciting and charming places.

Last but not least, we want to mention the Samevistet, which shows a mountain Sami spring and autumn show from the early 1900s.

Nordic animals

Many people who choose to visit Skansen do so, of course, to see all the animals there, not least the children. Skansen houses wild Nordic animals such as moose, wolverine, bison, otter, grey seal and brown bear. There are also domesticated animals and Swedish country breeds such as Roslag sheep, Linderödssvin, gutefår and Hedemora hens.

There is also the Lill-Skansen with various small animals such as rabbits, miniature pigs, guinea pigs and tree frogs. Today there is also the Baltic Sea Science Centre with underwater environments, aquariums and exhibitions about the Baltic Sea and its challenges.

Sometimes it's a bit difficult to see the animals, and of course we couldn't see the bears at all this time of year because they were hibernating. If you want to see even more animals, you can also check out Skansen-Akvariet, which includes monkeys, meerkats, snakes, lizards and spiders. Please note that admission to the Skansen-Aquariet not is included in the entrance to Skansen.

Christmas market and other events

Many different events are organised at Skansen during the year, from markets to artists and Allsång på Skansen. Right now, there was a Christmas market - an event that was very well attended.

Skansen's Christmas market dates back to 1903, and this year around 70 market stalls were set up in Bollnästorget. The stalls sell different kinds of delicacies and crafts, and you can browse through marzipan, game meat, cheeses, textiles, wool, ceramics and lots of other things. Of course, mulled wine, waffles, wraps, burnt almonds, cotton candy, caramels and other goodies are also served.

Visiting Skansen - more to see and do

Skansen showcases many different craft activities. We peeked into a small glass hut, which felt very familiar as we recently travelled both in and out of Skansen. The Crystal Valley in the Czech Republic and in The Glass Kingdom in Småland. In other workshops you can look at other types of crafts.

For those who have children with them, there are also many activities. Right now, for example, you could do Christmas crafts or dance around the tree. There is also Galejan's carnival with old-fashioned carousels and traditional lotteries.

There are also plenty of eateries and restaurants, such as Stora Gungan, Restaurant Solliden, Skansen Terrassen and Restauration Gubbhyllan.

More to see and do on Djurgården

Skansen is large, so it can be difficult to do more in the same day, but there is so much to see and do on Djurgården in Stockholm. Here you will find Gröna Lund, Kaknästornet, Junibacken, Cirkus and Rosendals Trädgård, as well as a number of famous restaurants. A slightly more unusual tip is Isbladskärret, which for much of the year is populated by around 60 pairs of herons.

Above all, Djurgården is perhaps best known for its extremely museum density. We haven't had time to visit and write about all the museums yet, but here's a list of the ones we've written about so far:

What are your experiences of visiting Skansen? Have you been here, and if so, in what context? How have your experiences been?

Facts about Skansen in Stockholm

• Landscape: Uppland
• County: Stockholm County
• Municipality: Stockholm
• Address: Djurgårdsslätten 49-51
• Find here: Tram line 7, bus no. 67 or the Djurgården ferry.
• The name: The name comes from the skans (fixed point in an older type of fortified field position) that Charles XIV Johan had built for his son Oscar I as a playground.
• Read more: You can find more information at Open air museum website.

Visiting the Skansen: activities

• Baltic Sea Science Centre: Go below the surface and meet the animals that live there and learn about the Baltic Sea and the environment.
• Children's activities: Lill-Skansen with domesticated animals as well as a funfair, a racetrack, games from the past, animal talks and more.
• Shops: Here you can buy Swedish crafts.
• Zoo: Wild Nordic animals, domesticated animals and farm breeds.
• Events: At Skansen you can organise weddings, christenings, conferences and other corporate events.
• Guided tours: Different tours can be booked, such as the Light Walk, Morning with the Animals or Sweden through History.
• History comes to life: Buildings, interiors and people in period clothing bring different eras to life.
• Christmas at Skansen: Christmas celebrations with a Christmas market, crafts, Christmas music, etc.
• Concerts: Allsång på Skansen, various artists, church concerts in Seglora church and more.
• Markets: Spring market, autumn market and Christmas market.
• Gardens: Colonial gardens, the Butterfly Garden, the Rose Garden, the Herb Garden and other gardens.

Visiting Skansen: service and practical info

• Opening hours: The Open Air Museum is usually open every day. Now in December 2021 the museum is open 10-16. For current opening hours see the museum's website.
• Prices: In December 2021, a one-day ticket costs €220 for adults, €200 for students and pensioners, and €70 for children aged 4-15. Children aged 03 have free admission. For current prices see the museum's website (Note: Skansen-Akvariet is not included).
• Annual pass: Annual passes currently (December 2021) cost 365 SEK for 1 adult and 1 child and 345 SEK for a pensioner/student and 1 child. Additional children cost SEK 100 per child.
• Food service: Restaurang Solliden, Krogen Stora Gungan, Flickorna Helin, Våffelbruket, Skansen Terrassen, Restauration Gubbhyllan and many others.
• Rules: Bicycles must be left outside. Dogs are not welcome (with the exception of assistance dogs).

Visiting Skansen: accessibility

• Enter: Inside the main entrance there is a lifting table that takes wheelchairs (max 500 kg) up to Spegeldammen. Up to Skansenberget there is only an escalator, and partly steep footpaths. Transport services/taxis can usually pick up/drop off guests outside Restaurant Solliden.
• Outdoor environment: Wheelchair access can be difficult at times due to steep roads and cobblestones.
• Indoor environment: Fixed wheelchair ramps are available in some places. The Koloni, Tre Byttor, Restauration Gubbhyllan, Skansen Terrassen and Solliden's dining room are wheelchair accessible.
• Toilets: Toilets for wheelchair users are located at the Main Entrance, Hazeliusporten, behind Högloftet, in Skogens Hus and at Lill-Skansen.
• Assistance dog: Assistance and guide dogs are allowed.
• Companions: Companions/personal assistants on duty have free admission on presentation of a companion's licence in the company of paying users.
• Parking: A limited number of parking spaces are available for people with reduced mobility at Restaurant Solliden.