Vaxholm Fortress Museum

The history of the Vaxholm Fortress begins early in the 16th century, with the construction of a blockhouse on Vaxholm by Svante Nilsson Sture, the Regent. The king Gustav Vasa instructed the governor of Stockholm to replace the blockhouse with a stone tower and to fill the narrow passage of Oxdjupet with rocks, this work was completed in 1839.

A Danish attack was repelled in 1612, and in 1719 the Russians were prevented from reaching Stockholm. In the 1870s, the defensive emphasis shifted from Vaxholm Fortress to the strait Oxdjupet. In 1876, Oxdjupet was opened to traffic and a new fort - Oscar-Fredriksborg - was built.

Since the turn of the century, the forces defending the archipelago have moved their positions outwards, ultimately reaching the outermost perimeter of the islands.

Vaxholm Fortress Museum

Opened 1947 at Oscar-Fredriksborg fort, and moved to Vaxholm Citadel, where it reopened in 1964. In 2003 the museum has been totally restored. The museum’s indoor department occupies thirty beautiful rooms and halls on both floors of the west section. Visitors see the fortress as it was in 1854, and can enter one of the Citadel’s bombproof vaults and see how things were during the Crimean War. In other settings you can call in on the Commandant, follow the issuing of orders ain a mine battery or visit the World War II coastal defence artillery post.

Here you can watch a movie about Vaxholm Fortress Museum and Vaxholm Citadel. How to get to the location, facilities on the island during high season
(July 1 to august 14), and a lot of information as well as images from the museum.

Opening hours

May 25/5-26/5 12.00-16.00
June 1/6-2/6, 8/6-20/6
12.00-16.0
(Closed 21-23 June)
June-September 24/6- 1/9 11.00-17.00
September 7/9-8/9 11.00-17.00

The museum is open all the year round to groups who have booked by agreement.

Information and booking

Phone: +46-8-541 718 90 (information)
Phone: +46-8-541 333 61 (booking)
info@vaxholmsfastning.se

Entrance charge
Adults: SEK 60.
Children up to 19 years free. Stockholmskortet free.

Guided booklets
Guide booklets of the museum are available in the museum's reception in English and German. A film about the history of the fortress is displayed in the museum with subtitles in English.

Guided tours in Russian
Guided tours are held in Russian at 14.00 the following days:
June
1,5, 9,13,17,21,25,29
July
3,7,11,15,19,23,27,28,31
August 3,4,8,10,11,12,16,17,18,20,24,28,31

Booked visits

Weekdays SEK 900 + 60 SEK/ pp
(groups less than 50 persons).
Weekdays after 17.00:
SEK 1200 + 60 SEK/ pp
Weekends SEK 1500 + 60 SEK/ pp
Schools: SEK 450 + 60 SEK/ pp

Communications

Take bus 670 from Tekniska Högskolan to Vaxholm, or go by boat (Waxholmsbolaget) from Stockholm to Vaxholm.

Then take the boat:
Kronuddens Taxi och Charterbåtar
from Vaxholm to Kastellet, every 20 minutes during the museum's opening hours.
Fee: adults 50 SEK round-trip, one way 30 SEK, children from 7-12 years old and pensioners: 30 SEK. For information
call: 08-541 305 35

Also on the island

Conference center and accomodation.