Skansen Facts for Kids

This page is about the museum in Stockholm. For the district of Turku, Finland, see Skanssi.

Quick facts for kids
Skansen

Main entrance
Established	11 October 1891 (1891-10-11)
Location	Djurgården, Stockholm, Sweden
Type	Open-air living museum and zoo
Visitors	1,369,431 (2016)

Skansen is a super cool place in Stockholm, Sweden. It's the oldest open-air museum and zoo in Sweden! You can find it on an island called Djurgården.

Skansen first opened its doors on October 11, 1891. A man named Artur Hazelius started it. His goal was to show how people lived in different parts of Sweden a long time ago, before factories and modern life changed everything.

The name "Skansen" has become famous. Now, other open-air museums around the world are sometimes called "skansens" too. This is especially true in Europe and even in places like the United States.

Discovering Skansen's History
What You Can See at Skansen
Riding the Funicular Railway
Gallery
See also

Discovering Skansen's History

People enjoying a folk dance at Skansen in 1904.

Skansen staff in 1896.

A walrus being fed at Skansen in 1908.

The 1800s were a time of big changes in Europe, including Sweden. Life in the countryside was quickly becoming more industrial. Many people worried that old traditions and ways of working would be forgotten.

Artur Hazelius wanted to save these parts of history. He had already started the Nordic Museum nearby. He got the idea for Skansen from an open-air museum in Norway. Skansen then became a model for many other open-air museums that were built later.

Skansen was first part of the Nordic Museum. But in 1963, it became its own separate organization. Even today, the old items inside Skansen's buildings still belong to the Nordic Museum.

Hazelius traveled all over Sweden. He bought about 150 old houses and buildings. He even bought one from Norway! These buildings were carefully taken apart. Then, they were shipped piece by piece to Skansen. There, they were rebuilt to show what traditional Swedish life was like.

Almost all the buildings at Skansen are original. Only three were copied exactly from old examples. You can go inside all the buildings. They show different parts of Swedish life, from a fancy manor house built in 1680 to farmhouses from the 1500s.

What You Can See at Skansen

Skansen is a very popular place. More than 1.3 million people visit it every year! The museum covers a huge area, about 75 acres.

Inside, you'll find a full copy of a 19th-century town. Craftsmen wear old-fashioned clothes. They show off their skills, like tanning leather or making shoes. You can see silversmiths, bakers, and glass-blowers at work. There's even a small field where they grow tobacco!

Skansen also has an open-air zoo. You can see many animals that live in Scandinavia. These include brown bears, moose, grey seals, and wolfes. You might also spot foxes, otters, and reindeer. There are even some animals from other parts of the world. Plus, you can visit farmsteads with rare kinds of farm animals.

In early December, Skansen hosts a famous Christmas market. It's been held since 1903 and attracts thousands of visitors. During the summer, you can enjoy fun folk dancing shows and concerts.

Riding the Funicular Railway

Since 1897, Skansen has had its own special train. It's called the Skansens Bergbana, which is a funicular railway. This train helps visitors go up the Skansen hill.

The funicular is about 196 meters long. It climbs up about 34 meters. Skansen can also be reached by trams on line 7.