The image of the Vikings we have has been coloured over the centuries by assumptions. Vikingaliv, Stocholm’s newest museum, would like to show a correct image and relies only on established facts. This is not always easy because new information is still added through the excavations, for example, in Uppåkra in Skåne.

Life of the Vikings

For those who have to admit that they do not really know a lot of the Viking age, the museum has a comprehensive timeline. In addition to the many info tables (English / Swedish), there are also interactive panels and videos where you can wittness testimonials of different Viking characters. For example, there is Völva, a kind of priestess who also returns in the story during the ride “Ragnfrids Saga” on the lower floor.

One of the highlights of the museum is a replica of a Viking. Through DNA research on a skeleton from a museum in Sigtuna, they could reconstruct how a Viking looked. This replica has been done extremely well. It really looks like a lifelike person. If he would suddenly start talking or moving, it would not even surprise me!

The guides in the museum are very helpful and knowledgeable about the Viking Age and they can give you extra information if you want.

Ragnfrids Saga

Where the upper floor of Vikingaliv is mainly informative and educational, the ground floor offers a surprising ride. A 10-minute drive takes you to the time of the Vikings. You can choose the language yourself. Unfortunately, Dutch is not available.

Ragnfrid and her husband Harald play the lead. You are seated into carts and end up in the middle of the Viking era. Together with Harald you go on a trip. I do not want to explain too much, but this ride really makes visiting the museum worth the effort. All the pieces of information you get in the first part suddenly fall into place and I could imagine it all much better.

Restaurant Glöd

End your visit to Vikingaliv in the museum shop and the Glöd restaurant. We stopped for a short fika and the cardemum bullar have been approved by us! It is nice with views over the water and the islands across Wasahamnen. They serve food with a Nordic touch. Most dishes are ecological and seasonal.

Vikingaliv – practical

Vikingaliv is located at Djurgården, near the Vasamuseum. Take tram 7 and get off at the Vasa / Nordiska Museet. Walking from Gamla Stan brings you in around 20 minutes (along Strandvägen) to the museum. For access prices and opening hours, you can visit their website.

Meet the Vikings

Can’t get enough of Vikings? Until September 2017 you can visit an exhibition about Nordic myths and sages at Historiska Museet. You will find one of the largest exhibitions with artifacts and stories about the Vikings and their role in slavery. You will also find a whole collection of gold and silver treasures.

More about the Vikings? Visit Birka and Sigtuna!

A museum where you spontaneously start dancing when you go in, where you almost all the time want to sing and where you’re still humming when you come out, that can only be: ABBA – The Museum! The opening of this museum about ABBA was the deciding factor for me, a few years ago, to go on a city trip to Stockholm.

ABBA – The Museum is, apart from the Vasa Museum, one of my favourite museums. It will come as no surprise that I already went to ABBA – The Museum several times 🙂

Thank ABBA for the music!

There’s something about the music of ABBA. Somehow their music always gets me in a good mood. Björn and Benny were very advanced for their time. They were the first ones to record the different music lines multiple times and then mix it. Even in today’s music you still hear influences of ABBA. And let’s be honest, most of their repertoire sounds contemporary! (Or I’m not entirely objective here?) They also came as one of the first with the concept of the music video because the ladies would rather not travel so often.

ABBA – The Museum tells the story of the four well-known Swedes: how they met, how they started to collaborate, the story of their careers,… Suddenly you are in the Polar Studio and even in their summer house.

Guided by ABBA

During my last visit to the museum, I picked the Swedish audio guide. It was the first time I visited the museum with an audioguide and it added a whole new dimension. The great thing with having the audioguide in Swedish is that you literally are guided around by the four members of ABBA! Björn, Benny, Agnetha and Frida give you a look on how it was to be part of ABBA. A unique way of getting a look behind the scenes!

Ever wanted to be part of ABBA? In the museum you get the chance to dance along with the ABBA members. You can even audition and sing a piece of your favourite ABBA song. By scanning your ticket at these locations you afterwards can download the video and/or audio recordings.

The red telephone

Somewhere in the museum you will find the red phone. It is the phone from ‘Ring Ring’. If you have the luck that the phone rings while you’re there, be sure to answer! The only people who know the phone number are in fact Benny, Björn, Agnetha and Frida. Before you know it you will be talking with one of the ABBA members. It is not clear how many times the phone has rang so far.

Good evening Europe!

When I was there for the second time (July 2016) Sweden had just organized the Eurovision Song Contest. This was a great opportunity to put the 6 Swedish winners of the contest in the spotlight at ABBA – The Museum. What is/was there to see? Amongst others: the outfits of the six Swedish winners. Who remembers the pink suit that ‘Take me to your Heaven’ Charlotte Nilsson was wearing? And of course the tight leather pants of Måns Zelmerlöw are on display! His trophy was on display there as well.

To a Eurovision enthusiast as I, this was definitely added value. Unfortunately, it is a temporary exhibition and from their website I could not make up for how long the exhibition still runs. The outfits of Waterloo are part of the permanent exhibition.
UPDATE: When I went back in May 2017, most parts of the Eurovision exhibition (like Celine Dion and Elton John their Eurovision dresses) were still there!

Practical

For the opening hours and admission fees, I advise you to check their website. To avoid busy peak times, they work with tickets that are valid for a given time slot.

I recommend you buy tickets in advance online. That way you avoid 20 SEK service charge per ticket. Please notice the whole musuem is cashless and you can only pay by card (at the souvenir shop, the entrance, the restaurant,…)