Skansen

The world's oldest open-air museum

Skansen on the island of Djurgården was founded in 1891 by Artur Hazelius and is the world's oldest open-air museum, the model that every later open-air museum has followed. On a parkland hillside stand around 150 historic buildings brought here from every part of Sweden: farmsteads, workshops, an entire old town quarter. Hazelius had them dismantled and relocated to preserve a way of life he feared industrialisation would sweep away. Skansen remains museum, wildlife park and festival ground rolled into one, and one of the central places where Stockholm marks its traditional celebrations.

Houses, crafts and animals

The centrepiece is the historic town quarter, with its yards and workshops where staff in period costume demonstrate traditional crafts. Much of it is hands-on rather than behind glass - Skansen leans firmly into letting visitors take part.

Alongside the museum, Skansen is also a Nordic wildlife park:

• Native wildlife such as elk, bear, lynx and wolf in spacious enclosures
• Lill-Skansen, a children's zoo with farm animals and petting animals
• The Baltic Sea Science Center, an exhibition space dedicated to the Baltic Sea

The wildlife park, Lill-Skansen and the Baltic Sea Science Center are all included in general admission; the aquarium costs extra. Audio guides are available in several languages.

Midsummer and the Christmas market

Skansen is where Stockholm holds its traditional festivals. At Midsummer, the museum stages the city's central Midsummer celebration, complete with maypole, folk music and dancing. In 2026, Midsummer Eve falls on Friday 19 June and Midsummer Day on Saturday 20 June.

Come Advent, the grounds turn into the Christmas market (Julmarknad), a tradition dating back to 1903. In 2026 it runs from 27 November to 20 December, Friday to Sunday each week (Fri/Sat 10:00-17:00, Sun 10:00-16:00). Both events count among the most atmospheric, and busiest, times to visit.

Tickets, prices and opening hours

Opening hours are staggered by season: in summer (1 June-30 August) daily 10:00-18:00, in late summer (31 August-27 September) daily 10:00-17:00, and in winter (28 September 2026-10 January 2027) weekdays 10:00-15:00 and weekends 10:00-16:00. Hours are shortened to 10:00-14:00 on Christmas Eve, with split hours on New Year's Eve. No closure days are listed - Skansen stays open through the Christmas period too.

The adult price is staggered by season (higher in summer) and cheapest online; in high season it runs to around 305 SEK. Children aged 0 to 15 go free, but need a pre-booked free ticket. Students and seniors get a discount on proof of status, and an annual pass is available with membership perks. If you're combining several Stockholm attractions, Skansen is included in the Go City Pass, see the Stockholm Pass guide. Buy tickets via the official ticket page.

Visiting and getting there

Allow 3 to 5 hours for the large, hilly grounds. Weekday mornings are quietest. Djurgården has no metro station of its own: you can reach it on tram 7 from T-Centralen (the vintage line 7N runs directly from Norrmalmstorg), bus 67 from Odenplan, or buses 69 and 76 to Djurgårdsbron. From Slussen, ferry line 82 drops you around 400 metres from the grounds, the most scenic way in, across the water. From Djurgårdsbron it's about 950 metres, or a ten-minute walk.

Skansen sits in the museum district of Djurgården, an ideal spot for combining sights: right next door are the Vasa Museum, the Nordiska museet, the amusement park Gröna Lund, the ABBA Museum and the fairy-tale house Junibacken, all within walking distance. If you're travelling with children, you'll find more ideas in the guide Stockholm with Kids.