Have a Magical Christmas Break at Djurgården
17/12/2023Winter is here and Christmas is around the corner, a time of fun and cozy events here at our Royal Djurgården. This year, our museums and attractions offers a bunch of activities to enjoy during the break – everything from markets, to concerts to holiday theatre plays. The shops are filled to the brim with decorations and gifts for the whole family. The restaurants and cafés are setting their tables for you to enjoy a classic Christmas Smorgardsbord and holiday sweets.
Once the presents are opened, many kids get to enjoy their break and freedom from school. It’s a given that you will find fun and exciting activities for everyone, big or small, here at Djurgården. Below you will find a list of the top suggestions that we’ve gathered for you!
Nordiska museet
3 December – 8 January 2024
Get ready for a time-travel adventure during the Christmas holidays and discover the magical place called the Time Vault at the Nordic Museum. Through a portal, you step right into the children’s history from the 1870s to the present. In the museum’s playhouse, you can experience life as a child on a farm in the 1800s. Dress up as a maid or farmhand and play your way through all the chores on the farm.
Exciting missions await the whole family during the holidays. Use history as your guide and try to solve the mystery of the missing marzipan figure. Who is the candy thief that comes to life in the museum at night? You can also embark on a mission through the iceberg in the exhibition Arctic – as the ice melts, where you must gather life hacks about life in the Earth’s northernmost places to solve the mission. A map and the Lapland dog Sickis are there to help you.
In addition, there will be family tours where you can learn more about the most delicious food through the ages in the exhibition Set Tables. What did people really eat in the 1500s, and was there ice cream in the 1700s? If you’re lucky, you might get to taste it! If, instead, you’re more interested in how we celebrated holidays during winter in the past, you should join the Winter Traditions tour. Here, you will learn about Nordic traditions and holidays.
Skansen
25 December – 7 January 2024
Vrak – Museum of Wrecks
26 – 30 December
Every day during Vrak’s Christmas break, you and the whole family have the opportunity to participate in a guided tour about ship gnomes at 1:00 PM. In addition, you can try an exciting VR dive at a shipwreck, take part in crafting activities, and join the wreck hunt – an entertaining quiz that spans across the museum’s various exhibitions.
Maritime Museum
26 December – 7 January 2024
Become an environmental hero during the Christmas break! When talking about the climate crisis and environmental issues, it’s easy to feel overwhelmed. But you know what? Everyone can actually become environmental heroes – mom, dad, grandma, grandpa, big sister, little brother, and especially you! During the Christmas break at the Maritime Museum, they address these issues and discuss what we can all do to save the oceans. No one can do everything, but everyone can do something!
At the Maritime Museum’s Christmas break, there will also be a joyful and inspiring clown and circus performance about our time’s significant question – waste! You also have the opportunity to participate in the guided tour “Championship in Trash Knowledge,” where you not only learn about plastic and different environmental heroes but also compete in waste sorting. Additionally, there are story times, treasure hunts, and, of course, the workshop Ruskpricken will be open throughout the break.
The Viking Museum
For many, Christmas is synonymous with commerce and markets, and that was also true for the Viking-era population. At The Viking Museum, you can participate in the family activity “The Trade Journey,” an entertaining experience that takes you around the exhibition on your own. From 2:00 PM to 5:00 PM, there is also a merchant in the exhibition providing clues for “The Trade Journey,” answering questions, and showcasing objects related to trade.
Of course, the museum also offers its daily tours every hour, with special family tours at 11:30 AM, 1:30 PM, and 3:30 PM.
ABBA The Museum
23 December – 7 January 2024
Four naughty elves hid all the packages somewhere around the exhibitions during the Christmas break. Get some help from a parent or a friend and set out to find them!
Junibacken
1 December – 30 December
The most fun play-museum for kids, Junibacken, presents once again the beloved Christmas play Pettson får julbesök! Based off the story written by Sven Nordqvist this heartfelt play first premiered in 2012 and this year is something special! This time the play brings out extra claws, since Findus has become quite a “real cat”. Using their experience with the puppet show Titta! Pippi the staff has crafted a Findus who moves and acts as a Findus should! Book a ticket today! (Show is in swedish).
Junibacken has a passion for getting kids to read books and they have gathered their best suggestions for childrens books that brings out that wonderful Christmas spirit! These stories are for all generations to enjoy. Check out their list here and see if you find something nostalgic or perhaps something new to enjoy. Their bookshop offers books in several languages!
The Museum of Ethnography
27 December – 7 January 2024
At the Museum of Ethnography’s Christmas break there will be lots of activities in connection with the exhibition “¡Viva México!”. Family tours are offered to explore the exhibition, where visitors have the opportunity to paint their own masks or create Mexican paper flowers in the workshop.
For those with a passion for music, the museum is launching the Children’s World Orchestra, where kids can try out various instruments from around the world and play together. Between January 2 – 4, 2024, the museum will be visited by Basis Art Camp with the theme “Magical Spirits and Mysterious Wolves,” allowing children to create freely based on stories within the museum.
For the adventurous visitors, there is also the option to participate in a quiz in the”Polar Bear’s Tracks” or embark on an adventure with the Mexican dog, Xolo.
The Vasa Museum
26 December – 7 January 2024
Immerse yourself in Sweden’s history through the Vasa ship and participate in various activities at the Vasa Museum during the Christmas break. All children under 18 have free admission to the museum.
The museum’s new audioguide, “The Boy and the Ship: a Trip into the Past!” takes children and families back to Stockholm during the time of Vasa. Follow the 11-year-old Olof through Vasa’s history, meet the people who worked on board and explore the museum on your own. You can also watch the charming children’s film “The Vasa Piglet,” where you follow the pig Lindbom on an adventure on board the Vasa ship. After the film, you can continue in Lindbom’s footsteps through the museum with The Vasa Piglet Trail brochure. Pick up the brochure in the children’s film corner and then follow Piglet Lindbom through the museum, answering tricky questions based on the film.
Additionally, you and the whole family can explore Vasa’s history at your own pace in the “family trail.” It is a self-guided material that takes you on a tour through the ship’s history and to the most exciting places in the museum. “Mission Vasa” is also an activity for children (and adults) that can be done as a competition or just for entertainment. After watching the Vasa film, you can solve the challenging tasks in the museum together.
The National Museum of Science and Technology
22 December – 7 January 2024
Celebrate the Christmas break with a unique experience at Wisdome Stockholm, where 360° immersive 3D takes you and the whole family on a breathtaking journey. Experience the shows ‘Making Magic 3D’ and ‘Stort 3D’, as well as the interactive space adventure in ‘OpenSpace’. The holiday season is also packed with guided tours of the model railway and Nintendo Switch Sports.
With theThe National Museum of Science and Technology’s 12,000 square meters and its 12 exhibitions, exciting Christmas adventures await around every corner.
National Sport’s Museum
In the museum’s workshop, there will be Christmas crafting until December 30th, and during the Christmas break, you can test your knowledge in the museum’s Christmas quiz. Jesper Nordahl’s exhibition “Cricket” runs in Konsthall 16 until Sunday, January 14.