Vasa Museum

The Vasa Museum, located on the island of Djurgården in Stockholm, Sweden, is a renowned maritime museum that showcases the only almost fully intact 17th-century ship ever salvaged, the 64-gun warship Vasa. This ship sank on her maiden voyage in 1628 and was recovered in 1961. The museum, which opened in 1990, is the most visited in Scandinavia and is part of the Swedish National Maritime Museums. The museum building, designed by Marianne Jakobbäck and Göran Månsson, is characterized by a large copper roof with stylized masts representing the actual height of the Vasa when fully rigged. Inside, the ship can be viewed from six levels, with exhibits and models detailing its construction, sinking, location, and recovery. The museum also provides insight into 17th-century Sweden, the era when the ship was built. In addition to the Vasa, the museum features four other museum ships moored in the harbour outside. The museum is also in the process of publishing an 8-volume archaeological report to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the salvage. With over 25 million visitors to date, the Vasa Museum offers a unique and immersive journey into maritime history.