Discover the story of how a 17th-century Swedish warship sunk on itsmaiden voyage and was then rescued and preserved at this intriguing museum.When the ship departed from Stockholm in 1628 it only floated for mere minutesbefore capsizing and plunging to the seabed below. In 1990, more than 350 yearsafter it sunk, the remains were retrieved from the harbour and turned into theVasa Museum.
Sit down for a short film that will introduce you to the ship’s historybefore you make your way through the museum. The film is offered in bothSwedish and English.
The Vasa Museum features 11 separate exhibition spaces. Head to the HisMajesty’s Ship display to see paintings showing the guns and cannons of theship alongside an explanation of why it sunk. The Face-to-Face exhibition ishome to the haunting remains of some of the sailors on board, includingcomplete skeletons. The interactive exhibition tells the story of the sailors’lives and the roles they played on board the Vasa. See the clothes worn by thecrew and learn about the meals on board in the Life Onboard exhibit.
The story of the ship’s excavation is an important part of its history,and in the Salvaging exhibition you’ll have a chance to see the techniques usedduring its discovery and retrieval. See the high-tech equipment used by AndersFranzén to locate the ship in the 1950s, including a homemade echo machine.Walk amongst the 700 sculptures featured in the Imagery of Power room to seelions, deities and mythical creatures.
Get outside to explore the Vasa Garden, located at the rear of themuseum. A vegetable patch and colourful flowerbeds show the herbs used by thecrew and farmers at the time of Vasa’s sinking.
The Vasa Museum is located on Djurgården, and can be reached on foot injust half an hour from central Stockholm. Parking is available in thepay-and-display parking area outside and trams and buses frequent the museum.The Vasa Museum is closed on public holidays. A small admission fee includes aguided tour, while admission is free for those under 18.
