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Exhibition at Museum of World Culture

Culture, history and art

Find out more about the culture, history and art of Sweden, as well as the history of famous writers and designers.

All of sweden

Dalarna

Göteborg

Malmö

Skåne

Småland

Southern sweden

Stockholm

Swedish Lapland

Uppland

Västergötland

Västsverige

The Nordic Watercolour Museum, West Sweden

5 cultural must-sees in West Sweden

West Sweden is a great region to explore if you like design, culture, history and art. From Sweden's capital of textile to a porcelain city, and don't miss visiting the Viking Age church.

Portrait of author Astrid Lindgren in front of a book shelf.

Porträt der Autorin Astrid Lindgren vor einem Bücherregal.

Astrid Lindgren

Portret van auteur Astrid Lindgren voor een boekenplank.

The world of Astrid Lindgren – a vital part of Sweden’s cultural heritage

Astrid Lindgrens Värld (Astrid Lindgren’s World) will immerse you in the inspiring realm of legendary Swedish author Astrid Lindgren and her world-famous fictional characters such as Pippi Longstocking and Emil of Lönneberga.

A woman wearing a jacket and a hat is taking pictures of art paintings.

Culture in Malmö

For all the expansion, Malmö is a small, friendly city with a good choice of cultural attractions, including the new Moderna Museet Malmö. Look out for Malmö’s many quality restaurants and bistros and great cafés. And the shopping isn’t bad either, especially if you’re looking for Swedish design-ware and hip, new Swedish fashion labels.

Higher education

Uppsala – a hotbed of innovation

Armed with an illustrious academic heritage and a spirit of innovation, Uppsala is celebrated internationally as an ideas incubator with the power to shape the future.

A child wearing an apron is making pottery.

Young pottery maker

Culture, arts and crafts in Skåne

Skåne is a local artist, silver, glass, and pottery hot spot with a long tradition of arts and crafts.

Ein Mann in samischer Tracht und mit Fellmütze mit einem Rentier knietief im Schnee versunken. Im Vordergrund verschwommen eine schneebedeckte Tanne.

Samische Kultur

Culture samie

Sámi cultuur

Sámi culture

Discover Sweden's traditional Sámi culture and way of life

Sweden&#x27;s indigenous people – the Sámi – live sustainable, culturally rich lives in harmony with nature. Today, responsible tourism is an important part of their way of life, offering visitors a chance to explore their traditions through a variety of experiences – including unforgettable encounters with reindeer.

Gallery founder Björn Wetterling sits at a window table at Operabaren in Stockholm with a cup of coffee. It's winter weather outside.

Björn Wetterling at Operabaren in Stockholm

Björn's artful recommendations for Stockholm

Björn Wetterling runs one of Stockholm’s leading art galleries. These are his artful recommendations for anybody visiting the city.

Nimis by Lars Vilks

Outdoor art in Sweden – the highlights

Experiencing art in the open is a pleasure, and there’s plenty of it all over Sweden – from sprawling sculpture parks to compelling individual works.

Swedish art

The Göteborg Opera

Culture in Gothenburg

The highlight of the cultural year in Gothenburg is the 6 days of the Gothenburg Culture Festival in August.

A woman is standing on the street outside an Acne store in Stockholm. Racks of clothes can be seen through the window.

Marina Kereklidou, in front of Acne Archive in Stockholm

“The people are what make Stockholm cool”

Fashion designer Marina Kereklidou knows her way around Stockholm. This is her personal guide to the most stylish spots in the Swedish capital.

Journalist Anna Bergholtz is standing with her guide dog outside a restaurant in Stockholm old town. There is snow on the ground.

Anna Bergholtz outside Under Kastanjen

Anna's top Stockholm cafés, restaurants and cultural hotspots

Anna Bergholtz is a journalist and lecturer, and is blind. These are her favourite cafés, restaurants and cultural hotspots.

Anna's top Stockholm cafés and restaurants for people with visual impairment

Sami handcraft leather and pewter bracelets on a reindeer pelt.

Sami handcraft

Sámi handicraft

The Sámi people are Sweden’s indigenous population. With a rich history spanning over 10,000 years, they have preserved unique traditions – including their exquisite handicraft – that reflect deep ties to nature and their ancestral heritage.

A woman is sitting on stone steps outdoors, reading a Stieg Larsson book in English.

Reading Stieg Larsson

Swedish crime fiction and Nordic noir

Swedish crime fiction books, TV series and movies are global hits. The settings and crime scenes are all here in Sweden.

Skate park

Top 5 cultural attractions in Malmö

In Malmö you can find anything from impressive street art to a prominent art museum and a cemetery so well-designed it took decades to finish! Here are five Malmö must-visits if you’re into Scandinavian design, architecture and culture.

Confetti rains over the audience at a concert during the Way Out West festival in Gothenburg.

Music festival, Way Out West

Music events in Sweden 2025

Discover Sweden&#x27;s vibrant music scene this year! From world-class festivals and iconic artists to unique venues and unforgettable live performances, there&#x27;s something for every music lover to enjoy.

Couple in a living room

Experience Sweden from home

Even if you’re unable to travel to Sweden at the moment, due to the coronavirus pandemic, you can discover the richness of Swedish culture from afar. Indulge in Swedish films, literature, music and art without leaving home. Heighten the experience by trying some classic recipes and styling your home like a Swede.

Restaurang Kvarnen, Stockholm

Stieg Larsson and Millennium

The Millennium trilogy is a series of internationally famed books written by posthumously published Swedish author, Stieg Larsson.

Hiking in the forest

Films from Sweden

In three short films, discover Swedish nature through the people who live, work and breathe it.

An old red painted wooden house with a sod roof. A women is standing at the entrance of the house.

Author Cajsa Warg's house, Wadköping

10 places to visit in Sweden that are connected to inspiring women

...and why you should visit them during your next trip to Sweden.

10 places in Sweden connected to inspiring women

A door is half opened. It has 'K Wallander' written on it.

The home of Kurt Wallander in Ystad, Skåne

Wallander’s Ystad

Inspector Wallander has made Ystad famous around the world.

The Öresund Bridge

Malmö and The Bridge

Fan of TV-series The Bridge? Then head to Malmö and visit the real Öresund Bridge.

Swedish singer Loreen holds the Eurovision Song Contest trophy after her win in 2023.

Eurovision Song Contest

Swedish hits – the Eurovision winners' favourite spots

Sweden has had notable success in the Eurovision Song Contest over the decades and is due to put on the event for the seventh time in May 2024 – the host city being Malmö. To celebrate, we highlight Swedish spots that have brought joy and inspiration to previous winners.

Thierry no 1 from NÄVER SAY NÄVER

Stockholm, a design city – interview with artist Aia Jüdes

We asked Aia Jüdes, an expert in high end handicraft, subcultures and art, to share her best places to visit in Stockholm.

Two people are hiking along the hills above Fjällbacka and the west coast archipelago in the background.

Fjällbacka in West Sweden.

Crime fiction West Sweden

Murder and mystery are in the air on the west coast of Sweden, at least in the books of Swedish crime writers Camilla Läckberg, Åke Edwardsson and Ann Rosman.

Guest are sitting at a long table during the Nobel banquet.

Nobel Banquet 2017, Stockholm

The Nobel Prize – over a century of innovation

December sees the Nobel Week Lights festival and the Nobel Prize award ceremony in Stockholm, followed by the elaborate Nobel Banquet. Here is all you need to know.

Swedish culture

Vikings in viking boats. An image from the tv series Vikings: Valhalla.

Vikings: Valhalla, Netflix

Sweden's legendary Vikings – beyond the ruthless stereotype

Vikings have captured the imaginations of all ages for centuries – and perhaps more so now than ever.

Swedish history

A porcelain teapot, a porcelain bowl with lid and a porcelain ornament, all placed inside a glass stand.

Rörstrand Museum, Lidköping

Rörstrand Museum in Lidköping – the porcelain city

Rörstrand is the second oldest porcelain brand in Europe and manufactured all products in Lidköping for nearly 300 years. The old factory has now been transformed into the Rörstrand Center with a popular museum where you can learn all about the porcelain craft.

The Nordic Museum building in Djurgården, the lawn around is covered in frost.

Museum

Culture, art and museums in Stockholm

Cultural Stockholm. Trendy Stockholm. Cool Stockholm. Designer Stockholm.

The luxurious, golden sitting room of Hallwyl house; with large paintings, golden furniture and chandeliers.

The Hallwyl House, Stockholm

Swedish homes you can visit

Discover the homes that once belonged to prominent Swedes.

Unique Swedish homes you can visit

The Nordic Watercolour Museum

The Nordic Watercolour Museum isn’t your ordinary museum. Guests are invited to combine art tours with a swim in the sea, painting in the open studio or have local seafood at the museum restaurant Vatten.

The museum Fotografiska, seen from the hill above. The sea and parts of Stockholm in the background.

Fotografiska, Stockholm

Sweden’s key modern museums – from north to south

The Swedish museum is a quality affair. There’s a wealth of notable modern museums to discover across the country, many of which are internationally renowned.

The 17th century warship Wasa propped up inside a museum.

The Ship of Vasa

Vasa museum and Skansen in Stockholm

Moose spotting on a city break? It's all possible at Skansen on Djurgården in Stockholm. Here you can also visit the impressive Vasa Museum

A child is standing in front of a display in the middle of an exhibition room. The room is dark but illuminated by a large screen in the back, surrounded by crossing sticks, which creates a dramatic effect with the visitors silhouette in the middle.

Sweden has history museums about almost everything

Sweden offers museums with various historical orientations. All over the country, museums bring history to life – not only from Sweden but from around the world.

Bergrummet toy museum in Stockholm

Stockholm’s best under-the-radar museums

When you are done with a famous museum like Vasa museum or Skansen, visit Bonniers Konsthall or Astrid Lindgrens home.

Malmö Konsthall

Discover the modern art worlds in southern Sweden

The city of Malmö and the province of Halland are studded with notable art establishments focusing on various genres of modern art.

The exhibition at Kata Gård, West Sweden

Kata Farm and Varnhem Monastery

Curious about architecture from the Viking Age and medieval period? Discover the remains of an old Viking Age church at Kata Farm and visit the majestic Varnhem Monastery dating back to the 12th century.

ABBA The Museum in Stockholm

ABBA, the Swedish supertroupers who stormed the pop world between 1972 and 1983. Visit ABBA The Museum for all things ABBA.

Swedish museums

Celebrating Valborg at Skansen, evening with lots of people by the fire

Valborgsmässoafton, Skansen

Walpurgis Night (Valborg) and May Day

This is the night of the bonfire in Sweden – once believed to scare off witches and spirits, now mostly an excuse to sing, cheer, and burn last year’s garden trimmings.

Welcome spring on Walpurgis Night (Valborg)

A woman carries a man on her back in nature. Both have Midsummer flower wreaths in their hair.

Midsummer

Midsummer in Sweden – a cherished tradition

The successful midsummer never-ending lunch party formula involves flowers in your hair, dancing around a pole, singing songs while drinking unsweetened, flavoured schnapps. And downing a whole load of pickled herring served with delightful new potatoes, chives and sour cream. All in all, a grand day out.

When and where to celebrate Midsummer in Sweden 2025

Close up on a waffle that bakes over open fire.

Making waffles at The Edible Country in Nyköping

Waffle Day – Våffeldagen

Waffle Day – how to celebrate 'våffeldagen' in Sweden and recipe

A boy is herding a flock of geese across a quiet street.

Goose herding

St. Martin’s Day

Celebration of the goose - a typically Southern Swedish tradition that takes place 10th November.

Christmas market

Sweden's festive Christmas markets

Usher in the festive season by visiting a Swedish Christmas market, offering quality handmade products, tasty food and fun activities.

15 festive Christmas markets in Sweden

Crayfish party at a jetty by the sea. Seven peoples around a table dressed in paper hats and bibs are eating crayfish. There are paper lanterns, lights and decorations above the table.

Crayfish party

Experience a Swedish crayfish party

Sweden has many unique traditions, the crayfish party being just one of them. Join in to absorb a slice of true Swedish cultural heritage.

Easter witches

Swedish Easter – a joyous foodie feast

Sweden’s Easter festivities involve a rich smorgasbord of Swedish food, sweet treats and decorative crafts – as well as unique customs shaped by the country’s cultural heritage.

A table set for midsummer lunch with traditional food. A hand is holding a bottle of snaps and another hand is holding glass of snaps. In the foreground there is a bowl of strawberries.

Midsummer celebration

Salmon, snaps and strawberries – how to do Midsummer like a Swede

Midsummer is one of the most important holidays in the Swedish calendar, second only to Christmas. On this day, Swedes eat smoked salmon and herring and drink Aquavit or &#x27;snaps&#x27;.

On a field, men wearing traditional folk costumes are raising a midsummer pole.

Midsummer in Dalarna

Midsummer in Dalarna – step by step

Fancy having flowers in your hair, dancing around a pole, singing songs about little frogs, just like the locals? Why not! A true expert shares her traditional Midsummer experience.