Exhibitions and art

Would you like to know more about the most magnificent ship of the Swedish Empire? See the works of a renowned artist? The attractions of Kalmar always offer an exciting mix of permanent and temporary exhibitions. Below are a few you can visit at the moment.

THE MAN-OF-WAR KRONAN

At the Kalmar county museum, there is an exhibition on the man-of-war Kronan, the most magnificent ship of the Swedish Empire. Kronan sank outside the coast of Öland in the 17th century. Many intriguing items have been salvaged from the wreck since it was rediscovered in 1980, and are now on display in the exhibition. Among other things, you can take a closer look at Sweden’s largest treasure of minted gold. The amazing finds tell the story about life on board, and give us a glimpse of life in the 17th century. The exhibition is open all year round at the Kalmar county museum. In addition, there is an entertaining section for families – The Superkronan adventure – Building the ship.

Jenny Nyström

Did you know that artist Jenny Nyström was born in Kalmar in 1854? At the Kalmar county museum, there is an exhibition about her life and artwork. She is most widely known for her lovely Christmas motifs, but she was an artist of many talents, with solid academic training. She was exceptionally prolific, and created thousands of works.

The exhibition is open all year round at the Kalmar county museum.

800 YEARS OF WAR, POWER AND GLORY!

In the Governor’s quarters at Kalmar Castle, there is more to learn about the 800-year history of the place. In each room, you will find out more about a specific period, event or theme. Among the themes in the exhibition are the Kalmar Union, the Kalmar War, and the architectural history of the castle itself. A must-see is the collection of interactive databases, with almost 400 texts, anecdotes, and stories.

The exhibition is open all year round at Kalmar Castle.

THE WOMEN’S PRISON

There used to be a women’s prison at Kalmar Castle. Visiting these rooms at the castle today, you will find out more about the punishments of the past, and the hard lives of the prisoners. With frighteningly authentic imagery, we are given examples of the torments that these condemned women suffered, from the 1400s through the 1800s. Superstition and unjust submission of evidence are just a few of the issues of this dark time in our legal history.

The exhibition is open all year round at Kalmar Castle.

A World of Dinosaurs

Looking for a real adventure? In Kalmar, you can visit Europe’s largest dinosaur exhibition. When you enter A World of Dinosaurs, you will first encounter fossils from all over the world. Step by step, increasingly larger dinosaurs are then presented. All in all, there are 200 dinosaurs and skeletons in the various exhibition halls – full-size, and very true to nature. In addition, several of the dinosaurs contain animatronics, meaning they move, breathe and roar in a very realistic way.

The exhibition is seasonal, open during the summer period.

ENGAGING CONTEMPORARY ART

At the Kalmar art museum, exhibitions include works by both Swedish and international artists, and are displayed in turn throughout the year. This way, there is always something new to see. Engaging contemporary art is shown along with works from the museum’s own collections. By inviting artists that reflect on present-day issues, the museum wishes to initiate dialogue and offer new perspectives.

Sandby borg

Sandby borg is one of several ringforts on Öland. In 2012, several spectacular finds were made here, and since then, parts of the fort have been excavated. The excavations have shown that the inhabitants of the fort fell victim to a brutal massacre about 1 600 years ago. There is also an exhibition telling us more about this dramatic event, and displaying some of the finds.

It is open all year round at the Kalmar county museum.