Skansen — Attraction in Stockholm

My partner and I visited Skansen on our first day of our visit and it was a perfect introduction to Stockholm and Sweden. The employee working the entry gate was very friendly and explained the park and map to us briefly upon arriving. We immediately noticed the exhibits and displays discussing climate change and our changing environment and how we could explore and solve these problems. As climate conscious individuals this intrigued us and was a nice start to our experience. The buildings in Skansen are truly phenomenal and date as far back as the 14th century. Throughout the buildings there were actors dressed in traditional clothing suited to their station that could tell you more about the specific building/area of the park you were visiting. This elevated the experience and was a welcome surprise. The park itself is situated on a hill that gives amazing views of Stockholm from the top. The pathways are well maintained and easy to traverse, even in winter with plenty of snow. The animals were also a highlight, both the wild and domestic exhibits. The animals appeared content and well cared for and there were informative talks scattered throughout the day about various species. We also encountered wild Eurasian red squirrels and various bird species through the wooded areas of the park which allowed you to feel that you were outside of the city and in nature. All the buildings were well maintained and the overall experience was fantastic. A great way to end the visit was by visiting the Baltic sea science centre and aquarium, which further builds on the climate crisis and what is currently being done to combat it by Swedish citizens and institutions. Entrance to these buildings are included on your entry to the park so be sure to not miss out. There were very informative and interactive displays in the sea science centre that were easy to comprehend, even for individuals not well informed on the topic, on topics such as what meal options to choose to reduce individual impact and the environmental impact of common everyday purchases. The aquarium was interesting and tied in well to the sea science centre. Overall, we truly enjoyed our visit to Skansen and will definitely be back on any future visits...

This was a great day! I'm very glad I randomly found it, but dress for the weather. We South Texans did our best (double layers of everything), but we visited Skansen on the coldest day of the week we visited: 27 degrees Fahrenheit (nearly -3 degrees Celsius).

This is an open air museum with buildings moved from all over Sweden for preservation of their culture. You may enter many buildings; they have "Open" signs on their doors, and are typically heated with a person inside who can explain to you what you are seeing (the buildings purpose, what the items are inside, etc). Many buildings you cannot enter, but they have open doors with bars so that you can see inside.

We enjoyed the 30 minute tour that started at the top of the Escalator Hall. Check the website for times and languages. English was available.

The are a handful of sit-down restaurants, and one in particular had good options for Gluten Free. It is #2 on the map, near the Escalator Hall, and is a yellow building with "Krog" over the door. I had the pork leg with potatoes (and picked onions and a huge dollop of mustard). It was delicious! (But, too much mustard.) The other GF options that I remember were the soup and meatballs, BUT, the meatballs have oats in them. Since they don't know if the posts were processed on the same machinery as wheat, the meatballs are not celiac safe. The fried fish is fried in the same oil as breaded things, or out had breading on it, so it is not GF.

There are several cafes and outdoor food stalls dotted around the premises, but I don't know how good they are fire Gluten Free. I was too chicken to ask.

This place is great for kids, but my husband and I had a fantastic time. This was pretty much the only thing he wanted to do on the 2 vacation days he had on his...

Skansen is not just a museum, not just a zoo, and not just a park. It’s Sweden in miniature, bottled up and placed on a Stockholm hill with a view that makes you feel like Gustav Vasa surveying his kingdom.

You wander in expecting a quaint “open-air museum” and end up in a time machine. One moment you’re watching glassblowers sweating over glowing orbs, the next you’re stepping into an 18th-century farmhouse where someone in full period costume will cheerfully tell you how people survived winters before central heating and Netflix. (Answer: badly, and with a lot of wool.)

Then there are the animals - because apparently history wasn’t enough. Moose, bears, lynxes, and even wolverines just hanging out like extras in a Nordic saga. You’ll never look at a Dala horse the same way again after making eye contact with a real moose.

Hungry? Skansen has you covered. You can grab a hot dog and eat it like a modern Swede or go full historical reenactment with old-school bread and butter so dense it could double as building material.

In summer, the place is alive with music, dancing, and Swedes in traditional folk dress singing like it’s Midsommar (the nice kind, not the horror movie). In winter, it transforms into a Christmas card - with markets, mulled wine, and an atmosphere that makes you forget your toes are frozen.

Skansen is somehow everything at once: museum, zoo, festival ground, historical reenactment, and Stockholm’s unofficial time portal. If you only have one day in Stockholm, spend it here. By the end, you’ll leave with sore feet, a camera full of photos, and the strange feeling that you’ve just lived several centuries in a...