Junibacken

Astrid Lindgren's world brought to life

Junibacken on the museum island of Djurgården is a storybook house built around the characters of Swedish author Astrid Lindgren – and one of Stockholm's most popular family attractions. It opened on 8 June 1996, with the Swedish royal family in attendance. Rather than relying on glass display cases, the house is built entirely around hands-on experience: children step into the stories instead of just looking at them.

Worth knowing before you go: Junibacken is clearly a children's attraction. Adults who grew up with Lindgren's books will get a nostalgic moment of their own, but the programme is aimed at families with younger children. As a sightseeing stop for adults travelling without kids, it's barely worth the admission fee – the neighbouring houses on Djurgården are the better choice for that.

The story train, Sagotåget

The centrepiece is the overhead story train (Sagotåget), which carries small gondolas through lovingly built scenes from Astrid Lindgren's books. Along the way you'll spot Madita (Mio, My Son's companion in the English editions, known as Madicken in Swedish), Karlsson-on-the-Roof, Ronia the Robber's Daughter, Emil of Lönneberga and The Brothers Lionheart. The ride ends at a reconstruction of Villa Villekulla from Pippi Longstocking. The narration runs in several languages.

The train is the main draw and sells out quickly in high season. During Swedish school holidays it's worth booking a time slot online, or the queue can end up dominating your visit.

Pippi, theatre and play

After the train, the trail continues into Pippi Longstocking's walk-in Villa Villekulla, where kids can climb and clamber around. There's also a large book and play corner, plus daily theatre shows in Swedish (seats bookable in advance) – in 2026, the production Pippi Moves In. For a longer visit, the house has its own restaurant, Cirkusrestaurangen, and a bookshop.

Temporary exhibitions round out the programme; in 2026 that's "Midwinter in Moominvalley," built around the Moomin characters. Plan for 1.5 to 2.5 hours for the full visit.

Tickets, opening hours and practicalities

Junibacken is open year-round, with longer hours in summer: Mon–Fri 10:00–17:00, from 09:00 on Saturdays, from 10:00 on Sundays, and daily from 08:30 in July, with some days open until 18:00 across July and August. There are several closure days – Mondays in March, April, September and November, plus 8 June, 5 October and 24–25 December. It's worth checking the official site before you travel.

The day ticket starts at 140 SEK, with an annual pass from 450 SEK; buying online is cheapest. Children under 2 are free but still need their own ticket. Online tickets carry a 30-minute time slot from the booked entry time, after which you're free to stay until closing. Payment is by card or Swish only, no cash. Because Junibacken is an indoor attraction, prams aren't allowed inside (fire safety) – baby carriers can be borrowed against a deposit.

Getting there and combining your visit

The address is Galärvarvsvägen 8 on Djurgården. Tram 7 runs there from T-Centralen/Sergels torg to the Nordiska Museet/Vasamuseet/Junibacken stop, and bus 67 from Karlaplan serves the same stop; buses 69 and 76 stop at Djurgårdsbron. Year-round and seasonal ferries also run from Slussen and Nybrokajen.

Junibacken sits right next to the Vasa Museum, which makes it easy to plan a family day on the island. Within walking distance you'll also find the Nordiska museet, the open-air museum Skansen, the amusement park Gröna Lund and the ABBA Museum. For more on the neighbourhood, see the overview of Djurgården. For more family-friendly ideas, check the guide Stockholm with Kids; if you're planning to visit several houses, it's worth looking at the Stockholm Pass.