Österlens museum
Municipal museum in Simrishamn on the history of the town and Österlen, with free admission, the exhibition Simrishamn 900 år and the museum storage Garvaren.
Have only individual sections read aloud
About the museum
Österlens museum was founded in 1917 by the town physician Johannes Bring. For many years it has been housed in the Björkegrenska gården at Storgatan 24, an old merchant’s and shipowner’s house (redargård) with roots in the 1850s. The house is also called Hafreborg after a grain store built in 1848, and the museum’s entrance and shop are in the old gable shop, which for generations was a trading shop.
The collections are owned by Föreningen för fornminnes- och hembygdsvård i sydöstra Skåne (the Association for Ancient Monument and Local Heritage Care in South-East Skåne) and comprise textile and folk art, bobbin lace, fishing and maritime history, objects from prehistoric times and old photographs of Simrishamn and the villages. Since the museum went bankrupt in 2003 it has been run by Simrishamn Municipality. The premises were renovated and made fire-safe after a capital injection.
Today the museum tells the history of Simrishamn and the villages through exhibitions, programmes and the museum storage Garvaren. The exhibition Simrishamn 900 år portrays the town as a herring town, a merchant town and a tourist town, and the family rooms in Gammeldagstiden (Olden Days) offer play and learning. The museum also looks after some twenty ancient monuments in the landscape that are open to visitors, and in the museum garden many of the plants that Linnaeus described during his visit in 1749 grow.
Highlights
- The exhibition Simrishamn 900 år
- Gammeldagstiden – rooms for play and learning
- Textiles, bobbin lace and folk furniture
- Museum garden inspired by Linnaeus
- The museum storage Garvaren with over 230,000 objects, books and archive records
Permanent exhibitions
- Simrishamn 900 år – The exhibition portrays the town’s history from the 12th to the 20th century as a herring town, a merchant town and a tourist town, with objects, texts and films.
- Gammeldagstiden – rum för hela familjen – Rooms for play and learning with a shop, a boat, a craft workshop and animated films about the herring and the eel.
- Biografen – Short films with the sea as the theme, including about the shipowner Sigrid Björkegren and four generations of seafarers from Österlen.
- Founded
- 1917
- Operated by
- Simrishamns kommun
Admission & discounts
Admission is free.
| Adults | free |
|---|---|
| Groups | –Guided tours in the museum storage Garvaren for groups of up to 20 people cost SEK 600 excluding VAT; school classes pay SEK 490. |
Free admission to all exhibitions and to the garden. A participation fee is charged for guided tours and events.
Accessibility
- 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
Ramp to the entrance from the garden and a lift just inside the museum shop. Two toilets are adapted for people with reduced mobility, one on the first floor and one on the third floor. A hearing loop is available in the conference hall on the third floor. The exhibition Simrishamn 900 år has several sounds and may feel loud for people who use hearing aids or are sound-sensitive.
Kids & families
Great for kids & families
- Family tours & workshops
- Activity booklet, scavenger hunt or kids’ audio guide
- Hands-on stations
- Baby changing facilities
- Playground / play area
The rooms in Gammeldagstiden have a shop and a boat to play in, a craft workshop and animated films about the herring and the eel. The children’s trail Upptäck med Nim och Nälla (Discover with Nim and Nälla) follows the exhibition Simrishamn 900 år and is aimed at children aged 4–10. Prams are not allowed in the basic exhibition on the second floor, but there is room for two prams on the first floor. A toilet with a changing table is on the first floor.
Getting there & parking
By public transit
Simrishamns station · 10-min walk
From Simrishamn station it takes 7–10 minutes on foot to the museum: follow Järnvägsgatan into the centre, turn left at the square and continue west along Storgatan.
By car
No on-site parking at the museum.
The museum has no car park of its own. All parking in Simrishamn is free with a parking disc (P-skiva). The nearest car parks are on Stora Rådmansgatan next to the church and on the square.
There are some restrictions on traffic and parking in central Simrishamn during the summer.
Get directionsAmenities & dining
- Museum shop
- Lockers
Museum shop in the entrance. In the room Gammeldagstiden coffee, tea, hot chocolate and ice cream can be bought. The museum garden has tables and chairs in summer. Lockable storage lockers are at the far end of the first floor. The museum is also an InfoPoint with tourist information.
Events & venue rental
The museum hasn’t published any information on this.
Plan your visit
| Guided tours | yes |
|---|---|
| School programs | yes |
| Good to know | The museum organises town tours, programmes and bookable activities. School programmes must be booked at least two weeks in advance. Two free apps, Simrishamn 900 år and Fornminnen på Österlen, can be used on site or at home. |
