The world’s first open-air museum, Skansen was founded in 1891 by Artur Hazelius to give visitors an insight into how Swedes lived once upon a time. You could easily spend a day here and still not see it all (note that prices and hours vary seasonally). Around 150 traditional houses and other exhibits from across the country dot the hilltop – it’s meant to be ‘Sweden in miniature’, complete with villages, nature, commerce and industry.
The glass-blowers’ cottage is a popular stop; watching the intricate forms emerge from glowing blobs of liquid glass is transfixing. The Nordic Zoo, with elk, reindeer, wolverines and other native wildlife, is a highlight, especially in spring when baby critters scamper around.
Buildings in the open-air museum represent various trades and areas of the country. Most are inhabited by staff in period costume, often creating handicrafts, playing music or churning butter while cheerfully answering questions about the folk whose lives they’re recreating. Part of the pharmacy was moved here from Drottningholm castle; two little garden huts came from Tantolunden in Södermalm.
There’s a bakery (still operational, serving coffee and lunch), a bank/post office, a machine shop, botanical gardens and Hazelius’ mansion. There are also 46 buildings from rural areas around Sweden, including a Sami camp, farmsteads representing several regions, a manor house and a school. There's an aquarium (with a separate admission fee: Skr100/60 per adult/child). A map and an excellent booklet in English are available to guide you around. It’s also worth noting that the closing times for each workshop can vary, so check times online to avoid disappointment.
There are cafes, restaurants and hot-dog stands throughout the park. Carrying water isn’t a bad idea in summer, and it’s not cheating to take the escalator to the top of the hill and meander down from there.
Daily activities take place on Skansen’s stages, including folk dancing in summer and an enormous public festival at Midsummer’s Eve. If you’re in Stockholm for any of the country’s other major celebrations, such as Walpurgis Night, St Lucia Day and Christmas, it’s a great (if crowded) place to watch Swedes celebrate.
From mid-June through August, Waxholmsbolaget ferries run from Slussen to Djurgården; the route is part of the regular SL transit system, so you can use your SL pass to board.
