The Vasa Museum

Besides the ship itself, you can also view all the findings that were on board. The extensive collections include the crew’s personal belongings, tools, and beautiful art-historical objects, including 600 carved sculptures and ornaments that were on board. In the various exhibitions, you come close to the people who lived in Sweden in the early 17th century and get to see their everyday life. It’s like a miniature society where everything is fully scaled to create a feeling as authentic as possible.

The museum has a set of permanent exhibitions that are updated from time to time. These are sometimes complemented with temporary exhibitions. One of the most popular exhibitions is ‘Life on board,’ which gives you a picture of what it was like to live on board a 17th-century warship – from clothes and food to diseases. Other popular exhibitions include ‘Vasa’s Women,’ ‘Face to Face,’ and ‘The Salvaging.’ To get the most out of your visit, you can use the audio guides available in many languages, and you can also take a guided tour.

Given all that there is to see, it’s no surprise that the Vasa Museum continues to be popular year after year. And the experience often exceeds people’s expectations – many visitors express a wow feeling afterward. In other words, the museum has a secure top spot on international visitors’ bucket lists, and it’s also an attraction that Stockholmers are happy to show to relatives and friends that visit the city. Today, 85 percent of the visitors are international and 15 percent Swedes. The average age is 35-40 years, and it’s 50% male and 50% female visitors, which is not common. Around 20% are children and youths, and the museum has ambitious school activities.

Speaking of school activities, the Vasa Museum is also a vital knowledge institution where museum visitors and research can meet. In addition to the exhibitions, there’s an extensive ongoing program that aims to spread knowledge about Vasa and life around the ship. Among other things, there’s significant textile research. In 2022, when the Swedish Navy celebrates 500 years, textiles will be at the center of Project Costume, one of Europe’s largest collections of everyday clothing.

If you’re hungry after the visit, there’s also a restaurant where you can enjoy hot and cold beverages, pastries, lunches, sandwiches, and salads. Everything is prepared from scratch, focusing on traditional Swedish home-cooked food made from organic and Swedish ingredients.

Welcome to the Vasa Museum!