Brucebo

About the museum

The artists’ home Brucebo lies at Själsö just north of Visby, close to the sea and in the middle of the nature reserve of the same name. The house was begun in 1900 by the sculptor Carolina Benedicks Bruce from Stockholm and her husband, the Canadian painter William Blair Bruce. In the spirit of National Romanticism and the turn of the century, they wanted to blur the boundaries between outside and inside, and here the couple worked and drew inspiration for many paintings and sculptures.

Carolina Benedicks Bruce grew up in a wealthy family in and around Stockholm and trained, among other places, at the sculpture school of Konstakademien (the Royal Swedish Academy of Fine Arts) and with the sculptor Falguière in Paris. William Blair Bruce was born in Hamilton, Ontario, and trained in France, where he developed his Impressionist painting in Barbizon. They married in Stockholm in 1888 and then lived for a long time on the move in Europe and America, with homes in Grez, Paris and Rome.

William died in 1906, and Carolina lived on at Brucebo until her death in 1935. In her will she left the house, most of the art, the furnishings and her fortune to the Brucebostiftelsen (Brucebo Foundation). Today the foundation runs the artists’ home as a museum and each year awards scholarships to Canadian and Swedish artists, in accordance with Carolina’s last wishes.

Highlights

• William’s monumental paintings and sketches
• Carolina’s sculptures and watercolours
• An original artists’ home with antique furniture, folk objects, ceramics and archaeological finds
• Garden and nature reserve to wander freely in all year round
• Audio guide in the IZI.travel app

Permanent exhibition

• Konstnärshemmet Brucebo – William’s monumental paintings and sketches, Carolina’s sculptures and watercolours, and the home’s collections of antique furniture, folk objects, ceramics and archaeological finds.

Founded

1900

Operated by

Brucebostiftelsen

Admission & discounts

Tickets are bought in the barn (ladan). Card payment is recommended.

Accessibility

• Partially wheelchair accessible
• Elevator: no information
• Accessible restroom: no information
• Accessible parking: no information
• Service dogs welcome: no information
• Tactile models & exhibits: no information
• Sign language tours: no information
• Easy-to-read materials: no information
• Audio description: no information

The main building is not wheelchair accessible, but the barn is. There is a toilet.

Kids & families

Children under 16 have free admission.

Getting there & parking

Brucebo is about 6 km north of Visby. From Visby follow Lummelundsväg (road 149) north and turn left at the Brucebo sign after about 6.5 km. The house is the large yellow wooden house in the right-hand bend below the hill, next to a half-timbered house. Enter through the white gates.

Amenities & dining

• Museum shop

The popular café Själsö Bageri is nearby; picnic baskets may be taken into the garden. Books about the artist couple are sold on site.

Events & venue rental

The museum hasn’t published any information on this.

Plan your visit