Museum of Ethnography

💡Summary
Discover the Museum of Ethnography in Stockholm, home to over 220,000 artifacts from Africa, Asia, the Americas, and Oceania. Hands-on workshops, open collections, and global cuisine invite visitors into a vibrant world of tradition and exchange.

Museum of Ethnography: A window to global cultures

Nestled in Stockholm’s peaceful Museum Park near Djurgården, the Museum of Ethnography (Etnografiska museet) offers an immersive journey through the world’s cultural diversity. With over 220,000 artifacts from Africa, Asia, Oceania, and the Americas, it stands as one of Europe’s premier destinations for cultural exploration and intercultural understanding.

Exterior view of the Ethnographic Museum in Stockholm. Photo: Holger Ellgaard (CC BY-SA 3.0)

Open storage at the Museum of Ethnography in Stockholm (Etnografiska Museet). Photo: Arild Vågen. (CC BY-SA 3.0)

🌐 Vibrant global collections

Discover an array of textiles, ceramics, musical instruments, weapons, ritual objects, and traditional garments from every inhabited continent. Each object is accompanied by multimedia resources—photographs, films, and historical records—that provide rich context and cultural insight.

🧭 A legacy of exploration and learning

Rooted in Sweden’s long history of exploration, the museum’s collection grew from 17th-century cabinets of curiosity into one of the most comprehensive ethnographic archives in Europe. The interactive Magasinet gallery puts more than 6,000 items on public display, allowing visitors to explore cultural heritage through open storage and hands-on browsing.

Interior view of the Etnografiska museet, Stockholm, Sweden. Photo: Daderot. (CC BY-SA 3.0)

Tools, Ainu people, Japan. Exhibit in the Etnografiska museet, Stockholm, Sweden. Photo: Daderot. (CC 1)

Two stone figures from Costa Rica, at the Ethnographic Museum in Stockholm. Photo: Magnus J (CC BY-SA 4.0)

🤝 Inclusive programming and global tastes

The Museum of Ethnography hosts workshops, lectures, and guided tours that foster reflection, discussion, and appreciation of cultural complexity. Its in-house restaurant, Matmekka, serves globally inspired dishes prepared with organic and locally sourced ingredients—merging global flavors with Swedish culinary creativity.

🌍 Stories across continents
Hidden behind the trees of Gärdet, the Museum of Ethnography invites visitors to reflect on the shared human experience. From 18th-century expeditions to modern-day debates on identity and heritage, the museum’s collections offer a thoughtful lens on global culture, colonial legacies, and intercultural dialogue.

🔍 Evolving perspectives

Through rotating exhibitions and international collaborations, the museum continuously reinterprets its collection—embracing both digital and physical formats to connect visitors with stories from around the world.

📍 Plan your visit and explore nearby

Conveniently located near other major museums, the Museum of Ethnography is part of Stockholm’s cultural hub. Nearby attractions include

Whether you’re curious about global traditions or seeking a thoughtful cultural experience, the Museum of Ethnography offers an engaging and reflective look at humanity’s shared heritage.

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