Fifth Port of Call: Stockholm, Sweden (Part 3)

Having volunteered at Rockingham, and visited many historic sites, I was super excited when I read Stockholm is home to the very first open air museum in the world. Lonely Planet listed the site as a must-do. 

Called Skansen it opened in 1891. To put it in context, Williamsburg became a National Historic District in 1961, but had been undergoing restoration since the 1920s. Old Sturbridge Village opened in 1946. Upper Canada Village opened in 1961.

Skansen covers 500 years of Swedish history. Buildings were moved here to create a village. They also have a petting zoo and aquarium, plus restaurants and shops. I was disappointed more historic buildings were not open, but the places where we could pay extra (such as gift shops) were open. I shouldn't complain as the admission price was only about $20 each.

Historic villages have learned lessons since Skansen opened. The buildings we did enter only had one way in, and the same way out, which even on a quiet day created log jams. 

I did learn a little bit, but wanted to learn more. Inside the front window of the apothecary is a dead crocodile. It is meant to attract customers. Modern day pharmacists say it is the only thing in the shop that still works. Certainly caught my attention.

I also learned the walls inside farmhouses were painted by traveling artists, a job Ashley wished still existed. Some of the paintings were on linen, but most went straight on the walls.

This 18th farmer must have been wealthy. After all, he has two grandfather clocks in his home. I suspect it has more to do with collection development than with wealth, after all who would keep two grandfather clocks in upstairs bedrooms?

View of Stockholm from Skansen

From here we took the tram to the boat. We were "carded" on the tram, which always makes me happy I bought the all day transit card. We took the boat back to the Old Village (Gamla Stan).