Vasamuseet / the Vasa Museum

The Vasa Museum: A Warship That Sank 20 Minutes Into Its Maiden Voyage

A stability test was conducted on the Vasa before it left Stockholm harbour. Sailors ran back and forth across the deck to test how the ship responded; it rocked so dramatically that the test was stopped before completion. The naval commander at the scene knew the ship was dangerously unstable but also knew that telling King Gustav II Adolf that his flagship was unsafe could end badly for the messenger. The ship sailed. The reason for the instability, a hull too narrow relative to its height, ballast insufficient for the upper gun deck, was known before departure. The social dynamics that prevented anyone from acting on that knowledge are as interesting as the shipwreck.

In August 1628, the Swedish warship Vasa set off across Stockholm Harbour and sank in 32 metres of water about 1,300 metres from shore. The cold, low-salinity water of the Baltic preserved the hull for 333 years until salvage operations raised it in 1961. The Vasa Museum on Djurgarden Island was built around the recovered ship, which is now the most intact 17th-century warship in the world.

The Ship

The ship is larger than expected in photographs: 69 metres long, 11 metres wide, and originally 52 metres tall to the top of the mainmast. Ninety-five percent of the original wood has been preserved. The ornate decoration on the stern castle, 700 sculptures covering the external surfaces, was designed to demonstrate Swedish royal power and was painted in vivid colours; the museum reconstruction shows what those colours were.

The reason it sank has been studied extensively. The hull was too narrow relative to its height, the ballast was insufficient, and the gun ports were positioned too close to the water line. A stability test before departure showed the problem: sailors ran from side to side and the ship rocked dangerously. The test was stopped before completion. Nobody cancelled the departure. The consequences of telling King Gustav II Adolf that his flagship was unstable were apparently considered worse than the risk of sailing.

The Museum

Six floors surround the ship, accessible by stairs or lift. Admission is 190 SEK for adults, 50 SEK for children under 18. Opening hours: 10am-5pm daily (8am-6pm during peak summer months). The museum is consistently Sweden’s most visited attraction and gets crowded; arriving at opening is the practical solution.

The temporary exhibition areas have historically rotated in themes from the lives of the sailors to the salvage operation itself. The sailors’ belongings recovered from the wreck, wallets, combs, a backgammon set, are displayed in ways that make the human cost specific rather than abstract.

The onsite restaurant serves Swedish husmanskost (traditional home cooking): meatballs, herring, and open sandwiches for around 120-180 SEK for a main course. It’s better than average museum food.

Djurgarden Island

The Vasa Museum sits on Djurgarden, a largely car-free island that contains several other museums within walking distance. ABBA The Museum (220 SEK) next door is exactly what it claims to be and is tremendous fun. The Nordic Museum, a 10-minute walk away, covers 500 years of Swedish cultural history in a building that looks like a Nordic palace because it is one.

The Rosendal Garden in the centre of the island has an organic farm shop and café that makes excellent cardamom buns. It is the correct afternoon break.

Getting There

From central Stockholm, tram 7 from Norrmalmstorg runs directly to the museum stop in about 15 minutes, 39 SEK. The Djurgarden ferry from Slussen or Nybroplan runs May through December and costs the same as a bus ticket with an SL card. Walking from the Old Town (Gamla Stan) across the bridges takes about 25 minutes and is a pleasant route in good weather.

The Stockholm museum pass (Stockholmskortet) covers both the Vasa Museum and the Nordic Museum plus transport; it’s worth calculating against individual prices if you plan to visit multiple attractions.