Hammarö skärgårdsmuseum

About the museum

Hammarö skärgårdsmuseum is located at Hammars udde on Hammarö, next to Hammars gård and Hammarö church. The foundation is fisherman Arne Ericsson's collection of fishing gear, boats, buildings and everyday objects from the older Lake Vänern fishing, which his family had practised for several generations. When Värmlands museum opened in 1998, the living conditions of the archipelago population were given their own room with objects from the collection. After that exhibition was dismantled in 2005, the collection went instead to Hammarö municipality, which opened the museum in 2009.

When the finances meant that the museum was threatened with closure, the non-profit association Hammarö Skärgårdsmuseum was formed in 2019 and took over its operation. The association looks after the collections and tells the story of the fishing, shipping and the people who lived on the shores of Lake Vänern.

The exhibitions show, among other things, the history of fishing on Hammarö, life at a lighthouse station in Vänern (completed in 2016, with a focus on the perspectives of women and children) and an underwater corridor about life beneath the surface of Lake Vänern. Outdoors there are fishing sheds, fishing boats on land, older racing sailing boats and an archipelago cruiser. In summer there is a café on the site, and sheep graze in the meadows around the museum.

Highlights

• Arne Ericsson's collection of Vänern fishing gear and boats
• Exhibition on life at a lighthouse station in Vänern
• Underwater corridor about life beneath the surface of Lake Vänern
• Fishing sheds, hammarösnipor (local boats) and iseka outdoors
• Summer café with the archipelago bun (skärgårdsbulle)

Permanent exhibitions

• Livet på en fyrplats – Exhibition from 2016 about daily life and family life at the lighthouse stations in Vänern, with five themes and a focus on the perspectives of women and children.
• Undervattenskorridoren – Information about fish and other animals in Vänern, with a sport diver in diving equipment from the 1970s as guide.
• Fiskerummet och fiskeboden – Objects from Arne Ericsson's collection and a photo exhibition about the history of fishing on Hammarö.

Founded

2009

Operated by

Föreningen Hammarö Skärgårdsmuseum

Admission & discounts

School classes can book free visits during the regular opening hours.

Accessibility

• Wheelchair accessible: no information
• Elevator: no information
• Accessible restroom: no information
• Accessible parking
• 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

Two parking spaces for disabled visitors are located directly at the museum.

Kids & families

Great for kids & families

• Family tours & workshops
• Hands-on stations

Preschool and school classes are welcome, and the museum has equipment for studying life in the water.

Getting there & parking

From the church, walk past Hammars gård and over the long wooden bridge, or along the road through the sheep pasture.

Amenities & dining

• Café

Summer café with freshly brewed coffee, ice cream and the popular archipelago bun (skärgårdsbulle).

Events & venue rental

The museum hasn’t published any information on this.

Plan your visit