Visit to Kalmar County Museum

The Kalmar County Museum is one of the main attractions of the city and a landmark for the history of the region. Thanks to thematic itineraries and different perspectives, this exhibition space tells the aspects of local life and history: objects, photographs, books, over a million pieces and many curiosities combine to provide a choral fresco of this corner of Sweden, from the Stone Age to the present day.

 

History

The collection began to take shape in 1871 thanks to the work of the Kalmar County Antiquities Association, an institution that was responsible for collecting and cataloguing some important donations and bequests which included ecclesiastical objects and archaeological finds. Soon, clothes, fabrics, every day and military objects were added to this original nucleus, coming both from the houses of the popular classes and from the elite of society, made up of nobles and merchants.

Since the 1980s, following the sensational discovery of the wreck of the Kronan ship, lying in the waters south of the island of Ӧland, the Kalmar County Museum has specialised in underwater archaeology finds. The museum is now housed in the site where the ancient mill of the city once stood, a building built in 1847 and active in its original function until 1957.

 

Kalmar County Museum History

The collection began to take shape in 1871 thanks to the work of the Kalmar County Antiquities Association, an institution that was responsible for collecting and cataloguing some important donations and bequests which included ecclesiastical objects and archaeological finds. Soon, clothes, fabrics, every day and military objects were added to this original nucleus, coming both from the houses of the popular classes and from the elite of society, made up of nobles and merchants.

Since the 1980s, following the sensational discovery of the wreck of the Kronan ship, lying in the waters south of the island of Ӧland, the Kalmar County Museum has specialised in underwater archaeology finds. The museum is now housed in the site where the ancient mill of the city once stood, a building built in 1847 and active in its original function until 1957.

 

 The collections

Among the permanent exhibitions, visiting the Kalmar County Museum is the one dedicated to the works of Jenny Nyström is not to be missed. It is a vast collection of illustrations and postcards created by the famous Swedish artist, a native of the city, which deal with the typical themes of traditional and Christmas-related holidays immersed in a bucolic environment. The artist also became famous for the quality of her illustrations for children: the museum library has a large selection of titles whose text is accompanied by the precious works of Nyström.

 

 The wreck of the Kronan

Year 1676: the Scanian war rages and sees the armies of Denmark-Norway, the March of Brandenburg and Sweden oppose each other on land and sea. It is in this scenario that one of the most tragic events of the conflict takes place, namely the sinking of the large Swedish ship Kronen, which blows up with all the crew: of the 850 members only 40 manage to survive. When sinking, the great ship takes with it 114 cannons and a treasure trove of gold and silver coins, as well as numerous other objects

 

In 1981 in the area where the battle took place, one of the largest in the Baltic Sea, the remains of an ancient ship were identified: subsequent explorations confirmed the initial hypotheses and the discovery of the Kronan gave way to significant underwater archaeology activity managed by the Kalmar County Museum. Over 20,000 finds have been recovered in forty years of activity, some of which are visible in the museum spaces, thanks to an interesting layout that also allows children to explore and immerse themselves in a faraway and fascinating time.

 

 Opening hours and tickets

The Kalmar County Museum is open Monday to Friday from 10 to 16, Saturday and Sunday from 11 to 16. The cost of the ticket is 130 SEK - about 11 euros - for adults, but admission is free for children under the age of 19. There are also numerous guided tours, also for large groups. Inside the structure there is a cafeteria restaurant, with the possibility of booking lunches and participating in events and conferences. Travel to Kalmar with the direct flights of Air Dolomiti, discover the charm of this part of Sweden and immerse yourself in an atmosphere and history without comparison.

 

Visit Kalmar with Air Dolomiti direct flights and get ready to take a journey through 800 years of Swedish history.