Vasa Museum

In 1628 the royal warship Vasa set sail from Stockholm on her maiden voyage and sank in the harbour within minutes. More than three centuries later, in 1961, she was raised from the seabed, and today she stands almost complete inside a purpose-built museum, the only surviving ship of her kind.

Walk around the towering hull on several levels, see the carved and painted sculptures that once decorated her, and learn how the ship was salvaged and preserved. Exhibitions tell the stories of the people on board.

The museum is on Djurgården island, alongside Skansen and ABBA The Museum, so it combines easily into one day. It is at its busiest around midday in summer; early morning is calmer. Guided tours in English run several times a day.