National Museum of Sweden

3 November 2018

A new museum has opened in town. Well actually, reopened. Sweden's National Museum was closed for renovation for 5 years. Can you see the museum at the far back in the photo? It is the brown colour structure. Best part - free! Well, not all places. There was a temporary exhibition which needed entrance fee, so that was avoided.

Excuse my humongous face in the photo. :-)

There was a queue to go inside the museum. It was crowded inside the museum and so I believe they need to gradually let the crowd in at a slow pace. Of course, the first sculpture that greeted us is a half-naked statue. Stockholm has a number of half or fully nude statues. Culture shock when I visited Stockholm the first time. 

I thought National Museum would hold artifacts or something that symbolizes Sweden. But it was in fact an art museum - paintings, sculptures and modern art. Then, I wondered how many paintings were produced in Europe during that era? This museum reminded me so much of Rijksmuseum, and Romanian Art Gallery. These museums have paintings from West and East Europe, hence, my question on how many paintings are there. I don't think artists earned a lot back then. 

Saw the king’s sculpture who approved the voyage of Vasa (the warship that sank). 

This sculpture was made from a single clay.

View from one of the windows.

Also saw one of the famous paintings in Sweden - the body of King Charles XII being carried down. King and his troop is real but the background is a fantasy. Sure enough, this large painting attracted a huge crowd. 

I did not take many photos in the museum because it will be the same as the ones in the websites. We spent 2.5 hours here and then it was a walk back home in the cold autumn evening.