Top 5 cultural attractions in Malmö

Malmö isn’t just a city. It’s an art gallery too! For the past years, Malmö city has been transformed into a public art exhibition with international and Swedish designs. ArtScape is the non-profit organisation behind the initiative. The organisation aims to challenge the perception of what a modern cityscape should look like and promote more public art; in their view, art shouldn’t be confined to only museums and galleries. Sweden’s first large-scale street art festival was organised by ArtScape in Malmö in 2014, where 15 street artists began transforming Malmö city into a public art gallery. Today, you’ll find several murals and sculptures dotted out all over town.

Moderna Museet is Sweden’s leading museum for contemporary art. The main museum is in Stockholm, but a filial opened in Malmö in 2009. Moderna Museet in Malmö comprises art collections from the start of the 20th century and onwards. The art exhibitions are ever-changing, but always with high-quality modern and contemporary art by some of the most influential artists of our times.

As if that wasn’t enough, Moderna Museet is housed in one of Malmö’s most beautiful buildings – an old power station designed by Swedish architect John Smedberg in 1901. A modern orange part has been attached to the original building, designed by Tham & Videgård Hansson, creating an exciting combination of Swedish architecture designed more than 100 years apart.

In a former shipyard slipway lies the skateboard park Stapelbäddsparken – an oasis for skaters and a prime example of Swedish architecture co-created with citizens. In fact, the local Skateboard high school first pitched the idea of the skate park in 2005, pointing out that it would be a great social hub for the young people of Malmö, which would be open to everyone and completely free to use. Swedish architect Stefan Hauser designed the park in collaboration with local skaters, and the result was a 3,000 square-meter park consisting of a bowl landscape and skatable metal sculptures. 

Stapelbäddsparken is located only a stone’s throw away from Malmö’s famous skyscraper Turning Torso in the Western Harbour, a former industrial area of Malmö which is now a sustainable and attractive district in the city with plenty of interesting Swedish architecture and design.

Östra Kyrkogården (The Eastern Cemetery) was designed by Sigurd Lewerentz, one of the most prominent Swedish architects of the 20th century. Lewerentz dedicated a large part of his life to the Eastern Cemetery, creating a prime example of Swedish architecture and its development over time. 

While strolling through the cemetery, take notice of the chapels, crematories, bell tower and the lush landscape, which were all designed by Lewerentz. However, his most famous work in the cemetery is probably the flower kiosk. Stripped of all unnecessary design elements, the flower kiosk is a simple concrete house where the windows are attached with black sealant. It is an interesting example of brutally simple yet thought-provoking Swedish architecture that attracts visitors worldwide. The flower kiosk was completed in 1965 and was Lewerentz’s last work on the site. He passed away in 1975 and is now buried at the cemetery.

Form/Design Center is located in an old granary dating back to the 16th century. With a broad perspective and an inclusive approach, this centre is a mecca for anyone interested in Scandinavian design and architecture.

Every year, about 20 exhibitions are organised at the centre, highlighting fascinating aspects of Scandinavian design and architecture. The three-story granary comprises in-depth exhibitions and shorter explorations into design-related topics. Form/Design Center has a broad perspective on design, highlighting anything from industrial design to handicrafts and fashion. The centre regularly organises debates, workshops and lectures where the public, designers, scientists and the industry can come together to discuss the Swedish design scene.