Gotlands försvarsmuseum

About the museum

Gotlands försvarsmuseum (Gotland Defence Museum) shows Gotland's defence history for the army, air force and navy from prehistoric times to the present. The museum was completed in 2008–2009 and inaugurated on 11 July 2009. The site was previously a storage area, and the main building was then a grain store. Large parts of the collections were moved from the former regimental museum at Visborgsslätt in Visby, where the regiments P 18 (I 27, I 18) and later also A 7 and Lv 2 had their units.

The air exhibition was added in 2011, and in 2014 the KA 3 museum from Fårösund moved to Tingstäde. The latter two now form the museum's Air & Navy section (Flyg & Marin) at Skans IV. The army section is in central Tingstäde (Förrådsgården, the Storage Yard) and has four buildings: a three-storey main building, Understödshus (the Assistance House), Fälthus (the Field House) and Stridsfordonshus (the Combat Vehicle House). Here the army objects from prehistoric times onwards are shown, along with combat vehicles, artillery pieces and anti-aircraft systems, and there are special exhibitions, a café, a shop, a playground and an information point.

The Air & Navy section lies 1.8 kilometres south of Tingstäde along road 148 and has three buildings, two gun parks and an outdoor mine exhibition. Skans IV has eight departments, three for the air force, four for the navy and one shared. Hangar 1 houses combat aircraft, helicopters and a test facility for the 37 Viggen system, and a J 35 Draken stands at readiness. The museum is part of Gotlands Militärhistoriska Museer (Gotland Military History Museums), GMM.

Highlights

• Tanks, armoured cars and other combat vehicles from Swedish defence on Gotland
• Artillery pieces, anti-aircraft systems and army objects from prehistoric times to the present
• Fixed and mobile coastal artillery in two gun parks
• Combat aircraft J 35 Draken and Viggen and helicopters in Hangar 1
• Café, shop and playground in the army section

Permanent exhibitions

• Armédelen (Förrådsgården) – Army objects from prehistoric times onwards, combat vehicles, artillery pieces and anti-aircraft systems in four buildings, with objects from Gotland's units.
• Flyg och Marin (Skans IV) – Fixed and mobile coastal artillery, naval mines, helicopters and the combat aircraft J 35 Draken and Viggen in Skans IV, Hangar 1 and two gun parks.

Founded

2009

Admission & discounts

One museum, one price: the admission ticket covers both sites of the museum (army and air & navy) and can be paid at either of them. Admission prices 2026.

Accessibility

The museum hasn’t published any information on this.

Kids & families

Great for kids & families

• Playground / play area

Outdoor playground at the army section; children aged 0–11 have free admission.

Getting there & parking

Both sites are in Tingstäde, about 24 kilometres north of Visby, and are signposted from road 148. The army section is in central Tingstäde (Förrådsgården); the air and navy section is 1.8 kilometres south of Tingstäde along road 148.

Amenities & dining

• Café
• Restaurant
• Museum shop

Café, restaurant and shop are in the army section in Tingstäde.

Events & venue rental

The museum hasn’t published any information on this.

Plan your visit