Karlshamns museum

About the museum

Karlshamns museum opened in the summer of 1964, when the town celebrated its 300th anniversary. The main building, the Smithska huset (Smith House), was built after the great town fire of 1763 by the merchant Olof Gummesson Bergh. The house is named after Otto Smith, son of the schnapps magnate L.O. Smith, who owned it from 1904 until his death in 1935. The town bought the property in 1938 on condition that it be used as a museum or for another purpose for the town’s benefit. Since 1980, when the town library moved out, the museum has occupied the whole house.

The museum describes itself as three museums in one. The Smithska huset contains more than thirty exhibitions on the town’s history and industries, including shipping, tobacco and industry. In the museum courtyard there is a tobacco plantation and the reconstructed Holländarehuset (Dutch House). The Punschmuseet, Sweden’s only punch museum, shows J.N. von Bergen’s punch factory in an authentic setting, with working machines. The Skottsbergska gården is a merchant’s farm with roots in the 18th century and a trading shop that was in operation until the 1940s.

The activities are run by a non-profit association. The museum arranges guided tours, lectures and activities for children, has a shop and café, and publishes the yearbook Carlshamniana.

Highlights

• Punschmuseet – Sweden’s only punch museum, with working machines
• Skottsbergska gården, a merchant’s farm from the 18th century
• The Smithska huset with more than thirty exhibitions on the town’s history
• The museum courtyard with a tobacco plantation and the Holländarehuset
• The Spritbolagssalen (Spirits Company Hall) and exhibitions on schnapps magnate L.O. Smith

Permanent exhibitions

• Punschmuseet – Sweden’s only punch museum is based on J.N. von Bergen’s punch factory and shows machines and fittings in an authentic setting.
• Skottsbergska gården – A merchant’s farm with roots in the 18th century and a trading shop with preserved fittings, restored in the 1950s.
• Industrilängan – Exhibitions on the town’s industries, including Carlshamns mejeri (dairy), Halda, the Strömma cotton spinning mill and the Vislandabanan railway.

Founded

1964

Operated by

Karlshamns museum (ideell förening)

Admission & discounts

The entrance ticket covers all three museums (Karlshamns museum, Punschmuseet and Skottsbergska gården). School classes can have free guided tours and lectures on request.

Accessibility

• Partially wheelchair accessible
• Elevator
• Accessible restroom
• 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

Since June 2023, a lift runs from the entrance in the Smithska huset to the second floor. An accessible toilet is located at the entrance, and in 2023 ramps were built to the Expressenhallen and the Spritbolagssalen. The museum courtyard has an accessible path with cobblestones from the entrance to the Expressenhallen, but some thresholds and cobblestones remain.

Kids & families

Great for kids & families

• Family tours & workshops

The museum offers guided tours for children of all ages.

Getting there & parking

The museum hasn’t published any information on this.

Amenities & dining

• Café
• Museum shop

Shop with books and souvenirs and a small café in the Smithska huset; open also to people who are not visitors to the museum.

Events & venue rental

The museum hasn’t published any information on this.

Plan your visit