Things to do on Skeppsholmen

If you’re looking for things to do on Skeppsholmen for the whole family, few places beat the Stockholm Toy Museum. This isn’t just a museum for children, but a meeting place for all generations that’s guaranteed to put everyone from 5-year-olds to great-grandpas in a good mood. Because how exciting is it to explore Northern Europe’s largest privately owned collection of toys and comics with 40,000 items? Adults get a nostalgia trip deluxe among their childhood toys while children discover new things and games.

The Stockholm Toy Museum is housed in a former military rock shelter on Skeppsholmen, and the raw walls of the underground tunnels provide a cool contrast to the world of toys. Permanent exhibitions are regularly complemented by temporary exhibitions and events, making the museum a vibrant place to explore everything from untouched collectibles to beloved favorite toys.

Dolls from the 15th century share space with dollhouses, pedal cars, spaceships, tin figures, all of Tintin’s vehicles, Barbie, Disney, and not least a number of unique royalty toys. A magical world, in short.

Like so many other properties on Skeppsholmen, the museum’s fine main building, Tyghuset, was once used for military purposes (in this case as the navy’s storage of fabric material). Today, the building instead houses interesting exhibitions and you can, among other things, wander through the museum’s Chinese floor and explore 6,000 years of Chinese history or experience the exciting Japan with everything from entertainment to tea ceremonies.

Please note that the museum is currently closed for renovation and will reopen in 2026. In the meantime, some of the activities will be transferred to Stockholm’s two other world culture museums – the Ethnographic Museum and the Mediterranean Museum.

After retiring from sailing around the world, af Chapman now serves as a hostel (along with the nearby Hantverkshuset). It’s popular for those looking for central Stockholm accommodation with historic charm, beautiful views, and everything nearby.

Since 2002, Skeppsholmskyrkan has been desacralized, so there are no longer any religious services. But since it’s a national listed building, the cross on the dome, the pulpit, and the altarpiece are preserved. In 2010, the building became an international cultural and choir center, Eric Ericsonhallen. The center regularly organizes concerts, exhibitions, and other cultural activities.

When you visit Skeppsholmen, you can also easily reach the smaller neighboring island Kastellholmen as the two islands are connected by bridge. A very nice bonus – because Kastellholmen is also well worth a visit. In addition to lovely natural environments, there are several homes, warehouses, a beautiful castle-like skating pavilion, and not least the magnificent Kastellet on the island.

Kastellet is a neo-Gothic castle-like citadel completed in 1848 (after the previous 1660s castle was blown up in a failed ammunition experiment). Every day, a flag is hoisted from the top of the building as a symbol of Sweden being at peace. The beautiful premises are now used for conferences, events, parties, and weddings.

What’s more, you don’t need to go on a long walk to experience everything – as mentioned, the islands are quite small. And if you want to make nice stops during the walk, you have plenty of opportunities with everything from exciting museums to small cozy parks.

Start walking along the water to the right after crossing the bridge from Blasieholmen and you’ll spot the magnificent ship af Chapman. Then continue walking and aim for the bridge Kastellholmsbron which takes you over to Kastellholmen. Here you’ll find a mountain with a nice viewpoint. Back on Skeppsholmen, you can continue the walk along the water until you’re back at the bridge where you started again. On the way, you’ll pass a variety of beautiful historic buildings and old boats moored at the quay. Exercise at its best!

In addition to concerts, the atmospheric and unique Eric Ericsonhallen is also used for galas, events, fairs, award ceremonies, shows, and music and TV productions. It’s also popular for private ceremonies such as weddings, christenings, and funerals.

Teater Galeasen is known for creating different, challenging, and innovative theater and over the years the group has produced more than 80 performances, many of them in collaboration with famous Swedish playwrights. Keep an eye on the website to see which performance is currently playing.

The beautiful Hotel Skeppsholmen is housed in historic buildings from 1699. Here you can not only stay in style, organize conferences and events but also eat and drink well. The hotel’s fine restaurant is called Långa Raden and is a lovely oasis for both lunch and dinner. At the tables in the cozy dining room, both Stockholmers and hotel guests from near and far gather for a culinary taste experience in a lovely environment. In summer there’s also a cozy outdoor terrace.

The carefully designed menu follows the seasons and focuses on classic Swedish flavors. Everything is prepared with quality ingredients that are mainly locally produced and hand-picked from the restaurant’s own garden. Some examples of delicacies are roasted Swedish spring chicken, steamed haddock, shrimp sandwich, and roasted beetroots. Enjoy your meal – and if you and your party want to have a drink before or after the meal, Långa Raden also has a nice bar.

Whether you’ve just had a great art experience at Moderna Museet or just want to enjoy really good food, the museum’s restaurant is well worth a visit. Here you can eat and drink well with an unbeatable view of the water, Djurgården, and Strandvägen through the large panoramic windows. In addition, there’s a lovely terrace with the same fantastic view.

The restaurant serves two lunch dishes, one of which is vegetarian, plus soup of the week, and sandwiches. On weekends they also serve their popular brunch. If you’re in the mood for a coffee, there’s the coffee bar Kaffebaren where you can have a good espresso or cappuccino (or just a regular cup of brewed coffee) with a pastry. Kaffebaren also serves beer, wine, and bubbles for those who prefer. There’s also another bar on the premises – Moderna Bar – which is available for rent.

The charming heritage-listed building from 1890 – which used to be a torpedo workshop where 200 underwater weapons were stored – breathes industrial romance and is located close to the sea right on the quayside. Just sit down in the welcoming dining room and order your favorites from the wide menu of delicacies from the sea, forest, and farm. Torpedverkstan also has a cocktail bar, outdoor seating, and popular barbecue and barbeque evenings.

If you like Italian gelato, you’ll love Glassverkstan, a popular destination for ice cream lovers from near and far. Here, gelato and sorbet are handmade according to Italian traditions with a lot of love. All the ice cream contains natural ingredients, and the flavors vary with the seasons and the mood of the gelato master. In other words, you can count on new and exciting taste experiences every time. And the fact that the gelato master is a graduate of the Bologna Ice Cream University makes things even better.

But it’s not just premium gelato on offer. Glassverkstan also has good coffee, homemade hot drinks, and the customer favorite GV Sandwich – a waffle and gelato sandwich that’s perfect when you are on the go. The café on Skeppsholmen is open during the summer and is then supplemented by their gelato truck which you can usually find at the bridge Skeppsholmsbron. The staff is super friendly and happy to help you find new favorite flavors.

Café Blom serves light lunches (bowls, salads, casseroles, and sandwiches), coffee, and craft beverages from local breweries (the café has full rights). Of course, there are also tasty sweets such as cinnamon buns, cheesecakes, and chocolate cakes. Most of it is organic and locally produced.

In Hantverkshuset by the grand ship af Chapman, you’ll find the cozy Café Skeppsholmen, which is open all year round. At this café you can have coffee or simple hot dishes while you have a fantastic view of af Chapman and other beautiful Stockholm views.

Hotel Skeppsholmen has not only a good restaurant but also a nice bar where you and your company can drink something good in a stylish and cozy setting. Order your favorite cocktail, a good glass of wine, or a cold beer and enjoy the lovely environment. In summer, you can also sit on the sunny outdoor terrace.

In a heritage-listed charming building right on the quayside, you’ll find Torpedverkstan. A perfect spot for those who want to have a drink in a seaside and industrial environment with a nice view of Stockholm and all the old boats moored at Skeppsholmen. This is a bar for all occasions – from a romantic date over a glass of wine to after-work hangouts with colleagues.

The menu has everything you’d expect – cocktails, avec, wine, sparkling wine, beer, cider, and non-alcoholic. Order your favorite from the friendly staff and have a seat in the warm and welcoming environment – at Torpedverkstan it’s easy to feel at home. And if you get hungry, there’s an extensive menu of delicious dishes.

As the name tells, you can of course order an espresso, cappuccino, or whatever your coffee preference is (as well as pastries), but Kaffebaren also serves beer, wine, and bubbly.

Here they’ve created an inspiring shop for both architects and private customers where they showcase their fine design furniture together with textiles, carpets, glass, and art. The stunning space is made up of several rooms with different characters – a living room, a kitchen, a studio, a gallery, and a textile room. So when you visit the House of Gärsnäs, you get a whole experience.

Moderna Museet doesn’t just offer inspiring art experiences and a top-notch restaurant – it also has a great shop. In the museum shop, you can shop for art and design products, posters, postcards, interior design, puzzles, games, bags, sunglasses, socks, children’s products, and over 3,000 book titles. In other words, an excellent place if you’re looking for a gift or Christmas present for loved ones with an interest in art. Or why not something nice for yourself?

The Moderna Museet shop also sells the museum’s publications and exhibition catalogs, plus literature and products related to the current exhibitions. When you shop in the store, you also support the museum’s activities. And of course, there’s also an online shop so you can order stylish art and design items whenever you want.

Japanese porcelain, cast iron wind chimes, yukata (traditional Japanese clothing), washi paper for origami and crafts, kenzan for flower arranging, and Chinese ink, rice paper, and brushes for calligraphy are just some of the products on offer. And of course, there’s a wide range of books for those who want to learn more about Asian cultures.

If you’re looking for a great place to stay in a peaceful oasis in the heart of Stockholm, look no further than Hotel Skeppsholmen. This popular Stockholm hotel is housed in historic buildings dating back to 1699, and many of the features from that time have been preserved. The fantastic location at the water’s edge with beautiful views of the city makes it even better.

The concept is Swedish in both food and design and the hotel has 78 nice hotel rooms, a restaurant, and a bar with a cozy outdoor terrace during the summer. And if you want to combine accommodation with improving your forehand, there’s also a tennis court right on the water in front of the hotel (Sweden’s first outdoor court, built by King Oscar II). In addition, Hotel Skeppsholmen offers great meeting rooms for conferences and several extraordinary banquet rooms for large and small parties.

An affordable accommodation in a cabin on a boat in the middle of Stockholm city, does that sound like something for you? Then the beautiful hostel STF af Chapman & Skeppsholmen is perfect for you. The magnificent ship af Chapman, long moored at Skeppsholmen, has been converted into a hostel and welcomes everyone from backpackers to families with children to stay on board. Historic and charming with an extraordinary view when you open your eyes in the morning.

If you prefer to sleep on land, there are also rooms in the beautiful Hantverkarhuset (a former military facility), which is adjacent to af Chapman. The rooms have large windows, high ceilings, and views of the water or the nearby park. But whether you prefer to stay on board or not, there are a variety of room types and price ranges to choose from – from single and double rooms to shared rooms and dormitories.