Gothenburg’s best museums

Looking for sights and things to do in Gothenburg? A good tip is to visit the city's museums, many of which are within walking distance of our various hotels. The museums are filled with interesting things, from masterpieces in the form of paintings and sculptures to exhibitions on the city's history, world history or perhaps something completely different. Museums are a great way to spend time, especially since several of the museums in Gothenburg are very cheap or even completely free. Here we go through the museums that you really must visit when you are in Gothenburg.

The Museum of Gothenburg

Located at Norra Hamngatan 12 (in the Ostindiska huset) and open from Tuesday to Sunday, between 10am and 5pm (8pm on Wednesdays). The Museum of Gothenburg is filled with sights that touch on the city's history and culture, from the past to the present. It might be about the city's fashions during the late 1800s or photo exhibitions that showcase the city's characters in different ways. There is also the Äskekärrs Ship, the only Viking ship on display in the whole country. Entrance is free for children and adolescents under the age of 25; for everyone else it costs SEK 60 per person.

Utställning på Göteborgs Stadsmuseum. Fotograf: Charlotta Gavelin The Birth of Gothenburg exhibition at the Museum of Gothenburg. Photographer: Charlotta Gavelin

The National Museum of World Culture

An exciting museum, especially for families with children. The National Museum of World Culture is usually open from Tuesday to Sunday between 12pm and 5pm. Some days have longer opening hours. Since 2016 there has been no entrance fee, and there is also a cafe and a restaurant if you need to recharge your batteries. One tip is to be there at 1pm o'clock, then go on a tour of the museum so you get an introduction to the various exhibitions. The permanent exhibition Tillsammans (Swedish: Together) consists of several questions, games and attractions for children up to 12 years old. The National Museum of World Culture is located close to Universeum, Liseberg and the Quality Hotel Panorama.

Universeum

One of the city's most popular destinations. This is not a traditional museum but more of a science centre, filled with exhibitions that have to do with mother earth, space, animals and humans. A favourite for children, youngsters and adults, not least because there are both live animals, interesting exhibitions and fun activities. You can easily walk there from Hotel Panorama to Universeum. It is open year-round between 10am and 6pm. Some days it is open a little longer or a little shorter so it’s best to check on the website. It’s free for children under the age of three, for everyone else it costs between SEK 135 and 195 per person depending on age and also the season. Check the current prices and opening hours on their website.

Gothenburg Museum of Art

Sweden's foremost museum of Nordic art from the end of the 19th century is a short walk from Universeum. Gothenburg Museum of Art, of course, also has masterpieces from other artists, not just Nordic ones. Here you can view pictures from Picasso, Van Gogh and Rembrandt as well as modern works of art from artists such as Cajsa von Zeipel and Lina Selander. The Gothenburg Museum of Art is open between 11am and 6pm from Tuesday to Sunday, some days a little longer. Free admission for children and young people up to 25 years. For all others, it costs SEK 60 per person. Note that some exhibitions have their own prices.

Gothenburg Natural History Museum

Located on the northeastern part of the immensely popular Slottsskogen. Gothenburg's Natural History Museum has free entrance for everyone since the beginning of 2018. There are plenty of fantastic exhibitions, from the hall of mammals, the fish trail and the bird galleries to the whale hall and its huge mounted blue whale and the various dinosaur skeletons. There are also several temporary exhibitions with interesting things to look at. Regular opening hours are Tuesday to Sunday, between 11am and 6pm (8pm on Thursdays).

Röhsska Museet

The Röhsska Museum in Gothenburg was founded in 1916 and is Sweden's only specialty museum for design and arts and crafts. The museum has a collection that covers about 50,000 objects, the majority of which are older Swedish and European objects. The collection also contains antiques of Greek and Roman origin. The museum also has temporary exhibitions from different eras and places in the world. Read more on their website to see which exhibitions are current at the moment.
The Röhsska Museum is open Tuesday to Sunday with varying times between 11:00am - 8:00pm. For young people up to 25 years, the entrance is free; for everyone else it costs SEK 60 per person. An annual ticket costs SEK 100, which also includes entry to the Gothenburg Museum of Art and the Museum of Gothenburg.

As you can see, there are many museums to visit in this city, most of them are centrally located and close to our hotels in Gothenburg. Other popular museums in Gothenburg and the surrounding area that are well worth visiting: