About us
Nordiska museet is Sweden’s largest museum of cultural history and stories about the life and people of the Nordic region. It is home to over one and a half million objects.
Collections, archives and library
Nordiska museet is home to over one and a half million objects, including exclusive items and everyday objects, all with their own unique history. The collections reflect the life of people in Sweden and the Nordic countries from present day and all the way back to the 16th century.
Nordiska museet archives contain documents from societies, companies, and private individuals, as well as letters, diaries, memoirs and other accounts and anecdotes – covering more than 4,500 metres of shelf space in all.
The museum’s Photography Collection comprise approximately six million photographs, while the library holds more than 250,000 books and journals, as well as brochures, maps and product catalogues.
The library and archive on the ground floor is the museum’s meeting place for cultural history. Visitors can come here and take a closer look at the collections in beautiful and peaceful surroundings. This is where you will find an office for dealing with all kinds of questions, and where you can also study archived material and search the databases for exhibition themes and objects.
Only a fraction of the collections is displayed in the exhibitions, but many items can be accessed by other means. New media and expert staff are helping to open up the museum for the visitors of today.
The museum building
The museum was founded in 1873 by Artur Hazelius. The iconic building on Royal Djurgården island – a sight in itself – was designed in Renaissance style by Isak Gustaf Clason, and opened in 1907. The heart of the museum is an enormous hall, 126 metres long with a ceiling height of 24 metres. At the centre of the hall is a large oak statue of King Gustav Vasa (1523–1560), designed by the renowned sculptor Carl Milles.
Historic houses and gardens
In addition to the museum building at Djurgården, Nordiska museet also owns and manages several historical buildings and landscapes around Sweden. These are Julita Manor, Tyresö Palace, Svindersvik and Härkeberga. Nordiska museet oversees the daily operations and management of the 400 buildings and land, in cooperation with local associations and municipalities.
Nordiska museet was given a special commendation at The European Museum of the Year Awards 2022.
