Sweden - Becky Ohlsen [48]
Prins Eugens Waldemarsudde (Map; 54 58 37 00; www.waldemarsudde.com; Prins Eugens väg 6; adult/under 19yr Skr90/free; 11am-5pm Tue-Sun, to 8pm Thu), at the southern tip of Djurgården, is a soul-perking combo of water views and art. The palace once belonged to the painter prince, who favoured art over typical royal pleasures. In addition to Eugen’s own work, it holds his impressive collection of Nordic paintings and sculpture, including works by Anders Zorn and Carl Larsson. The buildings and galleries, connected by tunnels, are surrounded by soothing gardens and an old windmill.
On the northern side of Djurgården, Rosendals Slott (Map; 402 61 30; Rosendalsvägen; adult/7-18yr Skr60/25, combination ticket incl entry to Gustav III’s Paviljong & Ulriksdal Slott Skr100/40; tours hourly noon-3pm Tue-Sun Jun-Aug) was built as a palace for Karl XIV Johan in the 1820s. One of Sweden’s finest examples of the Empire style, it sparkles with sumptuous royal furnishings. Admission is by guided tour only. While you’re out this way, don’t miss the wonderful cafe, set among lush gardens and greenhouses and serving tasty organic grub.
Thielska Galleriet (off Map; 662 58 84; Sjötullsbacken; adult/under 16yr Skr50/free; noon-4pm Mon-Sat, 1-4pm Sun), found at the east end of Djurgården, is a must for Nordic art buffs, with a savvy collection of late 19th- and early 20th-century works from greats like Edvard Munch, Anders Zorn and Bruno Liljefors. Take bus 69 from Centralstationen.
Liljevalchs Konsthall (Map; 50 83 13 30; Djurgårdsvägen 60; adult/child Skr50/free; 11am-5pm Tue-Sun, to 8pm Tue & Thu Sep-May) has four exhibitions a year of contemporary Swedish and international art, including the popular Spring Salon.
Other minor museums around Djurgården include the charmingly creaky, 1893 Biologiska-museet (Museum of Biology; Map; 442 82 15; Hazeliusporten; adult/6-15yr Skr30/10; 11am-4pm Apr-Sep, noon-3pm Tue-Sun Oct-Mar) and Aquaria Vattenmuseum (Map; 660 90 89; Falkenbergsgatan 2; adult/6-15yr Skr80/40; 10am-6pm mid-Jun–Aug, 10am-4.30pm Tue-Sun rest of year), a conservation-themed aquarium complete with steamy tropical jungle, sharks and electric-blue surgeon fish.
Skeppsholmen
Moderna Museet (Modern Museum; Map; 51 95 52 00; www.modernamuseet.se; Exercisplan 4; adult/under 19yr Skr80/free; 10am-8pm Tue, 10am-6pm Wed-Sun) is Stockholm’s modern-art maverick, its booty ranging from painting and sculpture to photography, video art and installations. Permanent fixtures include work by Pablo Picasso, Salvador Dalí, Robert Rauschenberg, Yinka Shonibare and Paul McCarthy, complemented by top-notch temporary shows. Andy Warhol’s first international retrospective was held here in 1968 and it was here that the world first heard his famously misquoted line: ‘In the future everybody will be world famous for 15 minutes.’ Ponder the quote at the slinky foyer espresso bar, or take in the water views from the fabulous 1st-floor restaurant-cum-cafe. Bibliophiles and design fans will adore the well-stocked gift shop.
The adjoining Arkitekturmuseet (Museum of Architecture; 58 72 70 02; Exercisplan 4; www.arkitekturmuseet.se; adult/under 19yr Skr50/free, admission free 4-6pm Fri; 10am-8pm Tue, 10am-6pm Wed-Sun), housed in a converted navy drill hall, focuses on the built environment, with a permanent exhibition spanning 1000 years of Swedish architecture and an archive of 2.5 million documents, photographs, plans, drawings and models. Temporary exhibitions also cover international names and work. The museum organises occasional themed architectural tours of Stockholm; check the website or ask at the information desk.
Across the bridge from Nationalmuseum, Östasiatiska Museet (Museum of Far Eastern Antiquities; Map; 51 95 57 50; adult/under 20yr Skr60/free; 11am-8pm Tue, 11am-5pm Wed-Sun) houses Asian decorative arts, including one of the world’s finest collections of Chinese stoneware and porcelain from the Sing, Ming and Qing dynasties. The often refreshing temporary exhibitions cover a