Sweden’s modern art museum sits on a green island a ten-minute walk from Kungsträdgården. A good visit comes down to four things: what it collects and what it leaves to its neighbor, when it is free, the sculpture park you never pay for, and the slides on its roof.
When you need this
You have one art afternoon in Stockholm and are deciding between Moderna Museet and Nationalmuseum. Or you want a free Friday evening, have children who have heard about the slides, or are visiting with a wheelchair or pushchair. If your free day is a Monday, read on before you walk over the bridge to a locked door.
Moderna Museet or Nationalmuseum?
Moderna Museet is Sweden’s national museum of modern and contemporary art and a government agency under the Ministry of Culture. It opened on 9 May 1958 in a former naval drill hall on Skeppsholmen, when Nationalmuseum’s 20th-century collection got a home of its own.
The split is written into law. Moderna Museet’s ordinance, Förordning (2025:1536), covers art in all its forms and objects connected with architecture, preferably from after 1900. Nationalmuseum’s ordinance draws the mirror-image line: art preferably from before 1900, with design up to today.
| You want to see | Go to |
|---|---|
| Picasso, Dalí, surrealism, Rauschenberg | Moderna Museet |
| Swedish art of the 1900s and today | Moderna Museet |
| Photography from the 1840s on | Moderna Museet |
| Rembrandt, Goya, Zorn, Carl Larsson | Nationalmuseum, on Blasieholmen |
| Design history from the 1700s to today | Nationalmuseum |
The two are a short walk apart: Nationalmuseum stands on the waterfront you pass on the way to the Skeppsholmen bridge.
The museum also grew in 2026. Since 1 January, ArkDes, the national center for architecture and design, and Statens konstråd (the Public Art Agency) have been part of the Moderna Museet agency. Tone Hansen, formerly director of MUNCH in Oslo, took over as museum director in September 2026.
What to see inside
The present building, by the Spanish architect Rafael Moneo, opened on 12 February 1998 beside the old drill hall. Damp and mould forced a second closure in 2002–2003, and it reopened on 14 February 2004.
The collection holds more than 140,000 works: about 6,000 paintings, sculptures and installations, 25,000 watercolors, drawings and prints, 400 videos and films, and about 100,000 photographs from the 1840s to today. Only a fraction is on display at any time. The museum names key works by Pablo Picasso, Ljubov Popova, Salvador Dalí, Meret Oppenheim, Robert Rauschenberg, Donald Judd and Irving Penn, and calls itself the central national museum for 20th- and 21st-century Swedish art.
Its early fame came from bold exhibitions under director Pontus Hultén. Andy Warhol had his first solo museum exhibition in Europe here in 1968, and Marcel Duchamp signed several of his works in Stockholm late in his life.
What to plan around in autumn 2026:
| Display | Where | Until |
|---|---|---|
| Monogram: Rauschenberg’s goat, in the collection since 1964 | Study Gallery, floor 2 | 30 January 2028 |
| The Subterranean Sky: surrealism, nearly 200 works | Floor 4 | 28 May 2028 |
| Will You Be Profitable, My Friend?: Swedish art 1945–1979 | Floor 4 | 27 August 2028 |
| Monir Shahroudy Farmanfarmaian: Tehran/New York | Floor 4 | 28 February 2027 |
| Jan Håfström: The Lost World (opens 17 October 2026) | Temporary | 14 March 2027 |
| Aage Gaup: Sculpting a Return (opens 7 November 2026) | Temporary | 24 January 2027 |
The building has three public floors, numbered 4, 2 and 1. You enter at the top:
| Floor | What is there |
|---|---|
| 4 | Main entrance, the collection, temporary exhibitions, shop, restaurant |
| 2 | Temporary exhibitions, Study Gallery, cinemas, the Workshop |
| 1 | Entrance facing the water, indoor picnic area |
Guided collection tours run in Swedish, English, Spanish and Italian and are included in admission; collect a tour ticket at the information desk and check the museum’s calendar for the language you want. For the audio guide, which plays in your phone’s browser, bring headphones; Wi-Fi is free.
Outside: the sculpture park and the slides
The Outdoor Collection is always open and costs nothing. Niki de Saint Phalle and Jean Tinguely’s The Fantastic Paradise (1966), made for Expo 67 in Montreal, fills the slope by the main entrance. Alexander Calder’s The Four Elements has stood on Skeppsholmen since 1961. A concrete version of Picasso’s Déjeuner sur l’herbe (1962) stands on the lawn outside ArkDes. The museum’s free audio guide walks you round the island.
The newest piece is one you ride. Carsten Höller’s Stockholm Slides, installed at the end of 2025, are two mirrored spiral slides, each about 39 meters long, dropping 15 meters from the roof to Slupskjulsvägen. A ride is included in admission. The limits:
- Minimum age 6 and minimum height 1.3 m
- Collect a sliding mat on floor 1, then go up via the terrace on floor 4
- Leave bags and loose items in the lockers
- Closed in rain or snow, and outside the season
The 2026 season ran from 21 April to 18 October. Dates for 2027 had not been announced in October 2026, so check before promising a child a ride.
Opening hours
The museum is closed on Mondays. It opens at 10:00 every other day, closing at 20:00 on Tuesdays and Fridays and at 18:00 on Wednesdays, Thursdays, Saturdays and Sundays.
Over the rest of 2026 it is open as usual on 31 October (All Saints’ Day), closed on 24 and 25 December, open 10:00–18:00 on 26 December, and closed on 31 December. Holiday hours for 2027 were not yet published in mid-October 2026. For other Monday options, see rainy day in Stockholm.
Tickets and free entry
Adults have paid since 2023. The museum’s own history says entry was free from February 2016 until 31 December 2022, when all national museums had to charge again; guides written in those years still call the collection free.
Who enters free:
- Everyone 18 and under, at any time
- Everyone on Fridays 18:00–20:00 in the spring and autumn seasons, with a free guided tour. The autumn 2026 season runs 21 August–18 December.
- Accompanying persons for visitors with disabilities, and personal assistants
- Members of the museum’s club, press, ICOM members, authorized Stockholm guides, listed art-school students, and holders of an LMA card from the Migration Agency or a Ukrainian passport
The Free Friday pauses in summer: in 2026 it broke from 12 June to 21 August, and standard prices applied on Fridays. Spring 2027 dates were not yet out in October 2026. If you are entitled to free entry, bring proof such as ID or a membership card.
Students with a Swedish or ISIC card, pensioners and groups of 15 or more pay a reduced price, and buying online is 10 kr cheaper than at the desk. Current prices are in the Practical information table below. For how the Friday slot compares with free hours elsewhere, see free museums in Stockholm.
House rules
| Rule | What it means for you |
|---|---|
| Cash-free | Buy online or pay by card at the desk; see cards in Sweden |
| No studs or studded shoes | Bring indoor shoes on icy days |
| No flash | Photograph without flash |
| Do not touch the art | Hold small children’s hands in the galleries |
| No food in the galleries | Packed lunches go in the indoor picnic area on floor 1 |
| No animals | Guide and assistance dogs only |
Lockers are on floors 4 and 1: big ones measure 38 × 98 cm and small ones 38 × 48 cm, both 50 cm deep. The restaurant on floor 4 is free to enter and also cash-free.
Getting there
The entrance is at Exercisplan 4 on Skeppsholmen, a small island reached by bridge from Blasieholmen.
| Mode | How |
|---|---|
| Bus | Line 65 stops at Moderna Museet |
| Metro | Blue line to Kungsträdgården, about 10 minutes’ walk; red line to Östermalmstorg, about 15 |
| Ferry | Djurgården ferry (SL line 82) from Slussen calls at Skeppsholmen; any SL ticket is valid, tap before boarding |
| On foot | About 10 minutes from Kungsträdgården, 20 from T-Centralen or Gamla stan, past Nationalmuseum and over the bridge |
| Car | Paid parking outside the entrance facing the water; disabled parking at both entrances |
| Bike | Bike parking at both entrances |
While the Slussen works continue, the ferry leaves from a temporary pier on Skeppsbron. Full ticket details are in our Stockholm public transport guide.
ArkDes shares the entrance area and has free admission to its exhibitions, so the two pair naturally; see the Swedish design guide.
Accessibility and families
The building has no thresholds, all doors open automatically except at the Study Gallery, and two lifts serve the three public floors. A wheelchair can be borrowed at the information desk, folding chairs stand by the exhibition entrances, and large accessible toilets with 90 cm doors are on every floor. Hearing loops work in the Auditorium and Cinema, ear defenders can be borrowed against an ID deposit, and tactile and signed tours can be booked. While new exhibitions are being installed there may be dust and strong odors, so allergic visitors may want to ask first. More in wheelchair-accessible Stockholm.
For families, prams are allowed in the exhibitions unless stated otherwise, baby carriers and strollers can be borrowed, and every floor has baby changing. All toilets are for everyone, with no separate women’s and men’s rooms. The Workshop runs drop-in creative sessions and family tours, with a programme in the autumn school break.
Mistakes to avoid
- Expecting Rembrandt or Carl Larsson. Pre-1900 art is at Nationalmuseum.
- Planning a Monday. The museum is closed.
- Counting on a free summer Friday. The slot pauses from June to late August.
- Bringing only cash. The desk takes cards, not notes.
- Buying a ticket for a 17-year-old. 18 and under is free.
- Skipping the sculpture park because you assume it needs a ticket. It is always open.
- Wearing studded winter shoes. They are not allowed inside.
Practical information
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Address | Exercisplan 4, Skeppsholmen, Stockholm |
| Hours | Tue and Fri 10:00–20:00; Wed, Thu, Sat, Sun 10:00–18:00; closed Mondays |
| Adult ticket (2026) | 170 kr at the desk; 10 kr cheaper online |
| Reduced (2026) | 140 kr: students with Swedish or ISIC card, pensioners, groups of 15+ |
| Free | 18 and under; Fridays 18:00–20:00 in spring and autumn (autumn 2026: 21 August–18 December) |
| Membership (2026) | From 400 kr a year; under 30 from 325 kr |
| Always free | Outdoor Collection sculpture park; restaurant entry |
| Stockholm Slides | Included in admission; 2026 season 21 April–18 October; age 6+, height 1.3 m+ |
| Payment | Card or online only; no cash |
| Holidays 2026 | Closed 24, 25 and 31 December; open 10:00–18:00 on 26 December |
| Getting there | Bus 65; blue line to Kungsträdgården; Djurgården ferry from Slussen |
FAQ
How much does Moderna Museet cost?
In 2026 a regular adult ticket costs 170 kronor and a reduced ticket 140 kronor, for students, pensioners and groups of 15 or more. Buying online saves 10 kronor. Visitors 18 and under enter free, and everyone enters free on Fridays 18:00–20:00 in spring and autumn. The museum is cash-free, so pay by card.
When is Moderna Museet free?
On Fridays from 18:00 to 20:00 during the spring and autumn seasons; the autumn 2026 season runs 21 August to 18 December, and the slot pauses in summer. Under-19s are free at any time. The Outdoor Collection of sculptures around the building is always open and free, and the restaurant is free to enter.
What are Moderna Museet’s opening hours?
Tuesday and Friday 10:00–20:00; Wednesday, Thursday, Saturday and Sunday 10:00–18:00; closed on Mondays. Over the 2026 holidays it is closed on 24 and 25 December, open 10:00–18:00 on 26 December, and closed on 31 December. Hours for 2027 holidays were not yet published in October 2026, so check the museum’s page before going.
What is there to see at Moderna Museet?
Modern and contemporary art from the early 1900s to today, plus photography from the 1840s. The museum names key works by Picasso, Dalí, Popova, Meret Oppenheim, Rauschenberg, Judd and Irving Penn, and it holds Sweden’s main collection of 20th-century Swedish art. Rauschenberg’s Monogram, the famous goat, is on show in the Study Gallery until January 2028.
Can you ride the slides at Moderna Museet?
In season, yes. Carsten Höller’s Stockholm Slides run about 39 meters from the roof to street level, and the ride is included in admission. You must be at least 6 years old and 1.3 meters tall, and collect a sliding mat on floor 1. The slides close in rain or snow; the 2026 season ended on 18 October.
Is Moderna Museet the same as Nationalmuseum?
No. They are separate museums a short walk apart. By ordinance, Moderna Museet covers art preferably from after 1900 and Nationalmuseum art preferably from before 1900, with design to the present. Moderna Museet began in 1958 when Nationalmuseum’s 20th-century collection moved to Skeppsholmen. Picasso and Rauschenberg are here; Rembrandt and Carl Larsson are across the bridge.
Is Moderna Museet wheelchair accessible?
Yes. The building has no thresholds, doors open automatically except at the Study Gallery, and two lifts serve the three public floors. A wheelchair can be borrowed at the information desk, large accessible toilets are on every floor, and folding chairs are available. Disabled parking is at both entrances, and accompanying persons enter free.
How do I get to Moderna Museet?
The museum is on Skeppsholmen, entrance Exercisplan 4. Bus 65 stops outside. From the blue-line metro at Kungsträdgården it is about ten minutes on foot over the Skeppsholmen bridge, and the Djurgården ferry from Slussen calls at Skeppsholmen, with any SL ticket valid. Paid car parking is outside the waterside entrance.
Related guides
- Nationalmuseum: the older art, from Rembrandt to Carl Larsson, a short walk back over the bridge.
- Free museums in Stockholm: line up the Free Friday with the other weekly free slots.
- Swedish design guide: ArkDes next door and where else to see Swedish design.
- Public art and the one-percent rule: the state art agency that is now part of Moderna Museet.
- Stockholm’s metro art: more modern art, for the price of a transit ticket.
Facts verified 2026-10-15. Sources: Moderna Museet (official site and agency pages), Sveriges riksdag (Förordning 2025:1536 and 2007:1175), SL, the City of Stockholm and ArkDes — full register in this topic’s source file. Prices and hours are the museum’s 2026 figures. Found something outdated? Tell us and we’ll fix it.