Skansen – Open-air museum
Location
Essentials
- Take a walk through Swedish history
- See Scandinavian domestic and wild animals
- Visit traditional crafts workshops
Practical info
Children
Child ticket for 4-15 year olds
Free entry for 0-3 year olds when accompanied by a paying adult
Languages
Please be aware that the staff providing background information at each house is a volunteer and it can’t be guaranteed that all staff speak English
Opening hours
Monday - Friday: 10.00 - 15.00
Saturday & Sunday: 10.00 - 16.00
Ticket information
Ticket directly available on smartphone
Tickets can be rescheduled or cancelled up to 24 hours in advance
More information
For questions about the product, please contact [email protected]
Accessibility
Getting there
About
A personal experience with Swedish history
When you visit Skansen, which sits on the beautiful island of Djurgården, you can escape the confines of 21st-century life and explore a simpler life. As you step through the gates, you’re transported to pre-industrial Sweden, where you’ll find yourself surrounded by around 150 houses and farmsteads from every part of the country.
The world changed rapidly in the 19th-century and many feared that traditional live would disappear. That is why Skansen was created in 1891, to preserve traditional customs and occupations. At this unique museum in Stockholm, you can still see how the Swedes once lived according to the changing seasons and learn about the customs and traditions, work, celebrations and everyday life of times gone by. You can visit traditional crafts workshops like butter-churning, weaving, shoe making and glassblowing.
As the place where Swedish traditions are maintained, Skansen is also the place where traditional festive occasions are celebrated by many who live in Stockholm, including the Royal Family. For Easter, Midsummer, Lucia, Christmas, New Year’s Eve and all other Swedish holidays, people come here to celebrate.
Life amongst the native Nordic animals
Skansen is not only the home Swedish traditions, it is also the home of many wild Nordic animals, which makes Skansen both a zoo and a museum. As you walk through traditional rural Swedish life, you’ll find yourself face-to-face (at a safe distance) with brown bears, moose, wolves, reindeer and lynxes.
Your ticket to Skansen also gives you access to the Children’s Zoo – Lill Skansen- where you can introduce your kids to about thirty different animal species up close. There are mini pigs, roslag sheep, guinea pigs, rabbits, toads, lizards and even cats. There is also a playground and a small stage for theatre, music and lessons about animals.
Another site you can visit with your Skansen ticket is the Baltic Sea Center, where you can discover the underwater world from the Stockholm Archipelago to the open sea. The Center has multiple aquariums with different water systems and habitats that show the various Baltic Sea environments which make it unique. Your ticket does not give you access to the Skansen Aquarium.
Get your Skansen open-air museum tickets here
If you want to explore this one of a kind place, then get your tickets in advance. You can easily spend up to half a day in this great attraction, as there are several restaurants and cafés where you can buy a delicious meal to keep you going. Don’t forget to visit the museum shop on your way out to find traditional handicrafts and Swedish-designed items.
Reviews
162 reviews
A must see in Stockholm
This outdoor museum/zoo was amazing! My family and I truly enjoyed getting a taste of history in a unique way. Be prepared to do some walking. We could have spent a whole day here. Unfortunately, we weren’t able to see some of the animals: reindeer, otters, lynx, artic fox 😕
Great visit!
As Americans traveling for the first time to Stockholm we were very excited for this experience and it certainly did not disappoint. Today was a Swedish patriotic day so the venue was mainly local families. As many noted, lots of the houses on site were closed. Really didn’t bother us as we were able to also see incredible wildlife like seals, moose, wolverines, and lemurs. I also was able to try a reindeer burger (check that off the bucket list). If you are wondering, it is slightly gamey and tastes somewhat like New Zealand lamb. The food is quite expensive though. One reindeer burger, a sausage (long hot dog) and fries was $38 US Dollars. The people of Sweden are terrific and we had some great conversations with locals!! Only negative thing is that with this being a huge park with all of the walking (you will walk miles here often uphill), there are very very very few bathrooms. And the signage (throughout the park is exclusively in Swedish with exception of some exhibits) is pretty bad in directing you to bathrooms. And when they do get you to a bathroom sometimes they are closed and locked. Not sure what the solution is here because hydration is so important. Finally, as noted, it is somewhat strenuous with the walking and all along with the inclines. Be aware of that if you have endurance issues.
Excellent family (or couples day out)
Whatever you are into, there is something here whether it be Swedish history, animals, sideshows or just wandering around parkland. There is so much to see you can easily lose track of an entire day here. It's open all year but in winter, there are less attractions open and the reduced entry price reflects this. If you are going for an hour, it's expensive but for a family day, works out quite reasonable. If you want some of the hand made products, such as pottery or blown glass, there's very little for less than £20 so go with a big credit card if you are going to buy!
Cultural centre visit
What a fantastic place to visit! We only found out about the place while we were on a boat trip around some of the islands. We must have spent 4 hours here, it was a glorious sunny day but some of the attractions and animals were not available which was a shame but nevertheless we saw enough to get a feel of Swedish culture and learn a lot about the country. A great place for families to visit. It could be quite a challenge for people with mobility problems as there is a lot of walking and some of it quite steep
Hiding Wolverine
We thoroughly enjoyed our visit here. Plenty to see and do including Nordic animals (we saw arctic fox and moose, but the wolverine was hiding!). The staff were dressed up in several of the houses and told us about the history of the building or lifestyle of the worker. Some parts were being refurbished but this didn’t detract from the overall experience.
A lovely afternoon out which could easily turn in to all day
Really enjoyed our visit, sunny day probably helped! Loads to see and learn. Highlights were chips round a wood fire and the various handmade souvenirs available.
Skansen Open Air Museum
This is a large open air museum celebrating Swedish history. It is beautifully laid out and had a lot of things to see and do. Unfortunately for us, we'd been sightseeing all day and were becoming quite tired. We saw as much as we could before calling it quits. I'm sure if we had started our day here, it would've been more enjoyable. On our way out, we stopped at the aquarium and enjoyed the aquatic exhibits as well.
Fantastic even on a wintery date
Really enjoyed a day at Skansen museum. It was great to learn about the history and that the buildings has been preserved. Enjoyed an introductory talk from a lovely lady and a tour around the workshop which was really exciting. Many of the buildings were closed as it was a weekend day in Feb. But loved walking around. The animals were super cool as well and we learnt lots about the reindeer from a talk. Would love to return in the summer. Nice responsibly priced restaurant there to warm up in and some good gift shops. Highly recommend a visit.
Must see but allocate enough time - the museum is huge!
Skansen is a massive outdoor museum dedicated to Swedish history and life in Sweden. I’ll start with my regret of not researching this museum properly and not allocating enough time for the visit (I had less than 2 hours), I have visited off peak and it was beautiful and snowy, however many parts were closed (certain animals displays were not accessible) but regardless I had an amazing time and would go back in a heartbeat. Lots of interesting displays and family activities which can be done mainly outdoors so plan accordingly and dress properly. Highlight for me was seeing gorgeous reindeers and moose. The fish exhibit is also brilliant
So fun
Skansen is absolutely massive! It took me 3-4 hours exploring it all, and I learned so much about Sweden’s history and culture here!! There are some nice cafes/restaurants here, and I really liked the zoo as well :)
Unique open air museum in Stockholm
We visited Skansen Open Air Museum on a freezing cold day and the site was covered in snow. It was a magical showcase of Swedish culture, craft traditions, animals and architecture. The chapel on the site was interesting to look around as well as providing refuge from the cold.
Worth a visit if spending a few days in Stockholm
We visited this place with high hopes as we went at Christmas time and were hoping for a nice Christmas market. Unfortunately it was not as good as we hoped, as the place was quite muddy and due to the fault of our own we didn’t get to see much as we were there when it was dark. The Christmas market was good however it was not the best market I’ve ever been to.
Fantastic place!
Skansen is such a unique experience! It’s an open-air museum that showcases Swedish history, with traditional houses and people dressed in historical clothing. I loved learning about Swedish traditions and how life was like centuries ago. During December, they have Christmas markets and activities, which made it feel even more festive. The views from Skansen over Stockholm are also beautiful. It’s a great spot to visit, especially with the holiday spirit!
A lovely day out
We have a lovely day out at Skansen. We took our time visiting and spent 5 hours at the park. There is lots to see, old town, farms, school house, post office, zoo, aquarium, Nordic sea centre and of course the Christmas market in the centre. Staff in the houses, shops and businesses were in character and told us something about what life was life in the era. Very interesting chatting to the school teacher about life in 1910. Was market was lovely, a good mixture of food and trinkets stalls. Reasonable enter price. As most of the day is outside is good to dress well for the weather. Plenty of places to get snacks, meals or drinks.
Wonderful experience
We really enjoyed our visit. It may have helped that it was minus 5 and there was snow on the ground, but it is a beautiful setting. Some of the farmsteads have actors who tell you what life would have been like in the appropriate era. The zoo aspect was also really good (although the reindeers were sadly missing - urgent business at the North Pole perhaps). The signage is decent and we found a quirky old cafe for soup and a sandwich. We then visited the Baltic Sea Science Centre which was well designed and informative. Unfortunately we were too late to visit the aquarium. All in all a fantastic day out.
Worth a Full Day to Visit!
I only had 90 minutes here and only saw the 'Town Centre' area, which was crowded. Quite interesting how so many recreated homes and businesses sold items they made. Definitely we need half or a whole day to enjoy, and even then, we won't be able to properly see everything!
Skansen Srockholm
Very large area in the walking distance from historical City Centre, historical architecture and zoo. There are employees in historical costumes in the historical buildings. Very interesting, it is possilbe to spend whole dey there.
Great Views
I really enjoyed my visit to Skansen. The views of the surrounding area are amazing. I absolutely loved viewing the animals, especially the bears!
Loved it, even in winter
Great open-air museum that has something for all, it was like walking through the history of Swedish culture. Detail of buildings very impressive, located over a large area, you need many hours to see everything, think during summer it would have been a better vibe with tourist numbers and cafes and shops opened. Still loved it even in the cold and would highly recommend visiting, after Vasa Museum this was the next best thing to do in Stockholm.
Skansken
The park is very big, but beautiful. Sincerely recommend coming with your kids, friends or family. There are many stores. The staff is very friendly. My favorite places there where the church, a very nice and historical place, and the aquarium, where you could see lots of fish, shells and more.
An amazing open-air museum in the heart of Stockholm
What an amazing open-air museum. We needed a full day to explore and would recommend only a non-rainy day! So much to see and learn about. Talented and knowledgeable actors in full costume are waiting in each of the historical houses. Their English was absolutely perfect and they were so helpful. The range of animals in the zoo was brilliant - loved the monkeys and the bears in particular. The one eating area that was open was great - traditional Swedish food in a relaxed outdoor setting. It's a shame you have to pay extra to go in one of the aquariums but would definitely visit again.
An open air Musuem of Sweden
Skansen is an open air musuem, its huge, so make sure to follow the map they provide otherwise you will just keep roaming randomly, and might miss on some of must see spots. There is even a zoo here but it has separate ticket other than the entrance one, so we skipped it. We visited in March, and most of it was empty, but due to winters greenery was also scarce. You will find some cute and colorful old swedish houses here, so make sure to click a picture with those. There was a cafe which we found, and couple of bakeries but unfortunately all were closed :( might be due to season , but we didnt expected all things to be closed at this time. Overall I would say if you have an extra day, and you dont want to lie around in your hotel room, come here, you can spend some good time, but be ready to walk a lot, as I said park is huge.
Wonderful day
This outdoor museum is a must see. It is set on a hill but access to the top is via an escalator if you’re mobility is limited. The exhibits of Swedish life are absolutely fascinating and very interactive. The walking is pleasant with lovely views and children were well catered for. The Nordic Zoo is more like a safari park , the information provided is very informative and the animals so well cared for. We were there for 6 hours and could have spent longer,
Large, interesting Folk Park.
A huge park with many examples of early life in Sweden. Very enjoyable. Just make sure you allow plenty of time to see everything.
Wonderful Nordic Animals
Cost 245 SEK (£18-27) From Stockholm Central we got the metro to Slussen and then the 82 ferry to Allmanna grand and walked. We stayed around 4 hours - the Nordic animals are great - lynx, wolverine,moose,bison,brown bear, reindeer 🦌 The cages are massive so the animals seem well cared for 👏👏👏 We went on a Sunday as more open at the weekend. You pay extra if you want to ride the funicular railway. Lots of red squirrel 🐿️ running about. The actual Swedish houses are rather disappointing as in most cases you cannot go inside them.
1-2 Hours??? No way!!! Plan to spend 3-5 hours.
We visited Skansen as a family with a 20 year old son. It was September after the summer season, so not all the interpretive areas / shops were open. So we were a little bummed about that. There’s some room for improvement at Skansen. It’s an amazing and unique experience but many of the structures do not have any signs about age or location. For international travelers we don’t know the areas the homes came from so a regional map on signs would be helpful. More information about the conception of the park and its founder would be interesting to learn as well. It would be helpful to highlight the “Do not Miss” buildings so those with shorter time to spend could hit the best structures and not feel like they missed the important things. If you love architecture/ history then this is the place for you. Buildings date from the 13th century forward. It’s laid out geographically and somewhat chronologically. If you have small children they have a kids area, small zoo and science center. The interpreters we talked to were very happy to share their knowledge and pleasant.
Family Day VIsit
This place is quite expansive and has many small tours at varying locations throughout the day. Total time here can be half a day or a full day given how much there is to see. There are also a few restaurant options located throughout and at the southern entrance.
This is what Sweden looks like!
We went to the open air museum The Skansen and it was lovely! There are so many cute bakeries and small shops, houses, gardens and stuff to do. All staff members are really helpful and authentic. It is like a fairy tale and as back in the old days. We especially loved the huge animal section, representing all the Nordic animals. Impressive!
Great visit
Take the tram 7 to get there but be warned it fills up quick especially the later you go. Opens up at 10am but think I got there around 11am and spent all day there. Lots of walking, ups and downs, places to rest and enjoy. Several places have times of fairy tell readings or demonstrations to learn more about that particular era and which area of Sweden it is referring too. There are places to purchase food and drink and bathrooms. Great family atmosphere. I believe I seen a few dogs so they are allowed as well. Credit cards primary choice of payment for nearly all of Stockholm is cashless.
First trip to Stockholm, and Ed Sheeran
Open air museum and a zoo, mostly just the zoo. It has reindeer, magical reindeer. And their close relatives, the moose.
Great place for kids
Nice amusement park detailing some of the older buildings and experiences of the Swedish people before the world wars. More geared towards children but still a great experience
Perfect for a whole day out.
Love this place and spend a whole day every time I go to Stockholm. Would recommend as you get to see and live the history of Sweden and meet some really cool people in the museum who are happy to show you around and explain the exhibit. Good places for food s well as entertainment. Plenty to do for kids of all ages.
Wonderful day in Skansen
We allocated almost a full day to visiting Skansen and we still didn’t manage to see everything. As adults, we enjoyed the time spent outdoors, the little live portraits of rural Sweden and just the stillness, beauty and peace of it all. The kiddo enjoyed the Nordic animals section and trying to talk to squirrels on the way. All around, it was a nice experience. We weren’t able to visit the aquarium, as you have to pay a separate fee to enter and on the day of our visit there was a technological issue with card payment. You could only pay cash in crowns and there was no exchange office around.
Love Skansen
We love Skansen, have been so many times, and always see a new bit. This time the bears were awake and swimming. The children love seeing the familiar parts and discovering new parts. Nice to see a wedding going on, too. Enjoyed the funicular.
BEST THING TO DO IN STOCKHOLM - MUST SEE
I absolutely loved this attraction. It is a cross-over between a zoo, a garden, and a historical village. The replicas of towns and Swedish life from years ago really piqued my interest as a history fan. They had staff dressed in traditional dress giving descriptions of the milk store and houses - these were done very well and very informative. All my questions were answered. The glass-blowing shop was cool to see. The bakery had delish fresh pastries. The zoo has animals specific to the Nordics, which as a visitor was very cool to see. There are also beautiful overlooks of the city and a lovely garden to walk through with statutes. They had artisan pop-up stores where artists sold their work - I picked up a lovely pair of earrings for my mom and I. I was on a school trip and only had 2 hours here, I would definitely recommend spending 3 - 4 hours here.
Parque dos mais lindos que já fui - One of the most beautiful parks I've ever been to
Um ambiente enorme, com várias construções antigas,das mais diversas regiões suecas, animais do país (ursos, alces, renas), e muitas outras atrações. Conta com uma simpática área de alimentação, com muitas comidas típicas. Há, inclusive, a opção de subir em um interessante funicular. Lugar que vale demais conhecer, e por ali permanecer por horas e horas. A huge environment, with several old buildings, from the most diverse regions of Sweden, animals from the country (bears, moose, reindeer), and many other attractions. It has a nice food area, with many typical foods. There is even the option of going up on an interesting funicular. A place that is worth visiting, and staying there for hours and hours.
A lovely day out
Absolutely loads to see. We really enjoyed exploring all day and learning about Swedish history and animals. An excellent place to spend the day.
Great visit- spend 3 hours
Great visit to this large open-air museum — one of the highlights of our trip to Stockholm. The park is filled with many preserved Swedish buildings that you can pop into and there are takes you back in time to see how people used to work and live. There were also many cute Nordic animals inside. A great place to visit to learn about Sweden. It’s huge so expect to spend at least 3 hours inside.
Spend a day here!
Amazing experience, large beautiful place and it has everything you need when you come with a toddler. Restaurant, zoo, playground and other interactive & interesting attractions.
A must see when in Stockholm
Go back in time and learn and see the Swedish culture. Museums, glassblowing, dancing, theatre, animals, gardens, aquarium, etc. Very clean and everyone is so friendly. Five STARS.
Nordic nostalgia
In 1972 I was fascinated by Scandinavian history. I finally got to live my little girl memories in the delight that is Skansen. Every corner held a new treasure and I cannot wait to go back and explore some more. I love the feeling of being out in the wild, peaceful countryside but in the heart of Stockholm. Very well put together and well kept. Delightful.
Great outdoor museum
Fabulous outdoor museum and kids zoo. We were presented with a paper map and off we went to explore. So much to see. My husband and I enjoyed chatting in the furniture workshop, engineering workshop and the hardware shop. We saw the moose, bison and wild boar. The elevator and funicular railway saved us some uphill walking. Lots of places to eat. Family friendly. The old buildings are beautiful. Well done on a great museum.
"Wonderful open-air museum and zoo!
Skansen is both an open-air museum and a zoo, showcasing Swedish history with reconstructed farmsteads and historical buildings. There's also a delightful zoo featuring native Scandinavian animals. The live demonstrations and seasonal activities make it engaging for visitors of all ages. Be prepared for a lot of walking, but it's worth every step.
Midsommar at Skansen
My boyfriend and I went to Slansenon Midsommar and despite it being I’m sure more crowded than usual, it was a fantastic place to explore and spend several hours! The actual raising of the maypole was very crowded but once you moved away from that there was plenty of space to spread out and see all there was to see. Very fun to be outdoors on a beautiful day! We did not take the funicular up or down, or is a short walk up, some steps and manageable incline for a short distance. Also no need to wait for the escalator if there’s a line, it is a very short walk up after entering. Note: we did not eat here and there were several long-ish lines at the food vendors. Many people do bring their own food and picnic there though!
A great cultural centre.
A very interesting day out at this wonderful heritage and cultural centre - it is difficult to call it a museum. It's worth taking the funicular to the top to start your visit as this makes it easier to see more of the attractions. There is a lot of walking involved and we didn't have the time to see it all, so we may well go back when we next visit Stockholm. There are lots of places within Skansen to get something to eat or drink and there is ample seating all round the "park".
Very nice
We visited Skansen in part to avoid the cruise ship crowds at the other museums, so I didn't have high expectations, but we could honestly have stayed all day if time had permitted! Bus 67 brings you from the city center to the front of Skansen. It was much larger than I anticipated, and we visited the Baltic Sea Science Center plus the nordic animals section, as well as the historical sites. There are a lot of farmstead types of sites which are spread out, as well as the town quarter, gardens with city viewpoints and Sami area, so bring comfortable shoes. There are food vendors out front, and the gift shop is very nice.
If Tom Cruise did customer service…
Just leaving Skansen and wanted to thank the new General Manager: he demonstrated a commitment to customer service that reminded me of Tom Cruise in Top Gun. If everyone gets a fraction of the great service I received- the place will thrive under his leadership!
Great place for the families
Initially I had very low expectations from this place but this one surprised me as it is not just a zoo but a lot more. As the name suggests it's an open air museum illustrating the old style of living of Swedish people. How the people used to live, how their houses were. The zoo is also interactive for kids. It also has great views and nice walking trails. Overall something for everyone.
The Nordic Animals bit is amazing
We really enjoyed it here. We hadn't researched it much so had no expectations but were pleasantly surprised. You start by walking through a live historical museum of olde world shops like a glass maker, bakers, iron mungers etc which was pretty interesting and then you move on to the various green spaces, rune stones, and the bit we didn't realise was part of Skansen but loved the most, the Nordic Animals section. We saw 3 very lazy bears, some Lynx, seals and the best bit, some Moose! I'd definitely recommend to anyone young, old, with kids or without.
If you only visit one place in Stockholm, made it Skansen.
I had high expectations for Skansen but it was still much better than I'd expected. If possible, chose to go when the weather is forecast to be good as apart from the Aquarium it's almost all outdoors. The buildings are fascinating, various types including very old buildings and a village with crafts to watch. The Nordic animals are wonderful - we went around twice. We didn't have time to see the Aquarium, pay extra for it. We arrived by 11am and only left at 6pm because they were closing for the day. Don't take my word, just visit. I've been to several re-enactment villages and this is vastly the best.
Having doubts? You can cancel or reschedule this booking up to 24 hours in advance for free.
