Sweden, A Country for Culture
Stepping off the plane into Sweden is like stepping into an art gallery itself. The streets are decorated stylishly with just the right balance of form and function; this is all complemented with museums deeply steeped in the rich history of the country and wonderful parks and gardens.
The art galleries and museums are the greatest promotion of Swedish talent, showcasing the masterpieces of internationally renowned artists and sculptures as well as the collaborations of various cultural projects. From an art gallery to a museum, to a stroll round Sweden’s famous parks and gardens, the country is an artistic and historical narrative of pioneering works and exhibits dating from prehistory to the contemporary. Remarkably, the Stockholm subway system doubles as the world’s largest art exhibit.
Art Galleries
Gothenburg Art Museum
The focal point of the museum’s collections is the work of famous Swedish artists Carl Larsson and Gustav Cederström. A striking highlight is the recent exhibit of the former’s is the Gothic horror landscape entitled Shipwreck. In typical Romantic style, the exhibit is insatiable and menacing – an excellent exemplar of the prominent theme throughout the museum, of tradition and revival.
The museum has an emphasis on Nordic collections such as the works by Edvard Munch, as well as historical art from the 15th Century to present, with collections from Rembrandt, van Gogh, Monet and Picasso.
Fotografiska
Designed in Art Noveau style out of an old customs house in the Stockholm wharf, Stadsgården, the museum features the world’s largest collections of contemporary photography. Encased in the building’s original brick façade, the museum has 15 major exhibitions a year featuring world-class photographers; notably Swedes Helena Blomqvist and Klara Källström. Highlights include Sebastião Salgado’s world-renowned black and white images of parts of the world which have resisted modernisation.
Museums
Swedish History Museum
As a country steeped in a famous history dating back to prehistoric times to the Middle Ages, it is only right that there is a world-class historical museum present to explore it. With immersive artefacts and each exhibit being able to tell its own enthralling story, the museum’s exhibits suitably explore the country’s fruitful past. The exhibitions shine a light on the activities of the Vikings; dispelling any myths and damaging stories, as well as feature extensive information on the Gothic, medieval period, including an excellent exhibition on Sweden’s most famous saint, Birgitta Birgersdotter.
Moderna Museet
Literally translated as “modern museum”, this Stockholm-based museum, opened in 1958, has one of Europe’s foremost collections of contemporary art from the 20th Century to the present. The museum was renovated in 2004 with a modernised interior and more open floor plans.
Featuring exhibitions of modern works by Henri Matisse, Niki de Saint Phalle and Louise Bourgeois, as well as classic works by Picasso and Dali, the museum has a world-class programme of groundbreaking contemporary art. The new interior makes the reverse chronological order layout easy to manoeuvre, and is supplemented by the quaint and sleek restaurant which gives beautiful views of the Östermalm district of the capital.
Parks and Gardens
To round off an inspiring day of culture, visitors will need to visit one or a few of the wonderful parks and gardens dotted around the country. Describing the French-inspired garden of high Baroque style built in the 17th Century, the Drottningholm Palace Park, as simply grand and ornate would not do it justice – a must visit spot in the capital, Stockholm. In the south of the country, the famous Sofiero Palace and Gardens are the upmost hotspot for romantic walks and picnics. The gardens were built at the commission of King Gustav VI Adolf in 1950; his deep interest in the wonderful rhododendron flower meant the planting of over 5,000 of the flowers resulting in a captivating atmosphere with a real romantic air.
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