Skansen – Stockholm’s Open-Air Museum & Zoo

This tour is very popular among my guests who love ethnography combined with architecture and nature. Skansen is a must-do when you visit Stockholm as it is the World’s först open-air historical museum which depicts Swedish life in the past by literally recreating a real-life Sweden of the 1900s. Skansen is a favourite both among Stockholmers and visitors passing through, and it’s a perfect family outing.

Nestled on the beautiful island of Djurgården, Skansen is the world’s oldest open-air museum, offering visitors an immersive journey through Swedish history, culture, and wildlife. Established in 1891 by Artur Hazelius, Skansen was created to preserve Sweden’s traditional way of life and showcase how people lived and worked in different regions of the country before industrialization. Today, it remains one of Stockholm’s most beloved attractions.

This open-air museum is a living history museum, where you can walk through authentically reconstructed villages and farmsteads from different periods of Swedish history. The museum features over 150 historic buildings, transported from all over Sweden, including:

• Traditional farmhouses from the 18th and 19th centuries
• Craft workshops where artisans demonstrate traditional skills like glassblowing, pottery, and textile weaving
• A charming 19th-century town with a bakery, post office, and apothecary, staffed by costumed guides who bring history to life.
• Visitors can interact with actors dressed in period clothing, who reenact daily life, tell fascinating stories, and even invite you to join in traditional Swedish customs.