The Performing Arts Museum, Stockholm Travel Guide

The Swedish Museum of Performing Arts occupies Kronobageriet, Stockholm's oldest preserved industrial building from the 17th century. Originally a royal bakery producing bread for the crown, it later served as an arsenal and a vault for brännvin, Sweden's light vodka. This sturdy structure on Sibyllegatan, carefully renovated, now hosts a modern museum over three floors, preserving its historic brick facade while embracing contemporary design.

Formed in 2010 from the union of the Music Museum, Theater Museum, and Puppet Museum, the institution evolved through closures and rebirths. Renamed in 2017 after reopening, it traces roots to 1899's Musikhistoriska museet, inspired by a grand Stockholm exhibition. Over a century, it amassed treasures through donations, becoming a national repository under Statens musikverk.

The flagship exhibition 'On Stage' dives into artistic craftsmanship across dance, music, theatre, and puppetry. Eschewing timelines, it weaves thematic narratives highlighting Swedish performing arts' evolution. Visitors encounter stage designs, handwritten song sheets, premiere artifacts, and costumes evoking 400 years of performance history, from baroque spectacles to modern innovations.

Hands-on elements define the experience: don theatre masks, compose with instrument samples, or join a virtual dance troupe via multimedia screens displaying ballet, flamenco, and hip-hop. The 'gestrument' lets body movements conjure melodies, blending gesture and sound. Nearly 6,000 instruments, emphasizing Western art and Nordic folk music, invite exploration of sonic heritage.

Among 60,000 objects shine quirky treasures like 18th-century actor shoes alongside Herreys' golden Eurovision footwear from 1984. Puppets, marionettes, scenography models, and Ingmar Bergman's miniature stage sets reveal backstage artistry. The shoe collection alone spans centuries, illustrating fashion's role in performance evolution.

Adjacent to the national theatre, the museum fosters ongoing creativity with workshops, a studio, auditorium, shop, and bistro Kavalleriet offering meals and summer outdoor seating. It stands as a voice for performing artists, bridging past mastery with future possibilities in Stockholm's vibrant cultural heart.