Psykiatriska museet

About the museum

Västervik Hospital opened in January 1912, because the need for beds for people with mental illness was great and a more humane form of care was wanted. The hospital was renamed Sankta Gertruds sjukhus (St Gertrude’s Hospital) in 1931 and Norra sjukhuset (Northern Hospital) in 1968. It lay in beautiful surroundings by Gamlebyviken just north of Västervik and functioned as a community within a community; at its peak there were about 1,400 patients and 900 employees. The area today is called Gertrudsvik Sjöstad.

The museum’s foundation was laid by the master painter Mauritz Lundin, who began working at the hospital in 1912 and saved the patients’ works, such as handwritten Bibles, paintings and a large ship model. When wards closed during the 1980s, the staff collected old objects into a temporary museum. When the building was threatened with demolition, a support association was formed, and the county council (landstinget) had an old ward restored to its original condition. The museum moved in 2002.

The building was originally erected as a staff canteen and has later been used as a residence, a ward and for socio-therapy. Today the museum is run on a non-profit basis by Psykiatriska museets stödförening (Psychiatric Museum Support Association). Through guided tours and photographs, visitors gain an insight into how care was provided, what treatments were given and what life was like in the closed world. The museum also arranges smaller exhibitions every year.

Highlights

• Restored ward from 1912
• Guided tour on the everyday life of care and its treatments
• Photographs and pictures from the hospital’s time
• Patient art and objects from the painting workshop
• Small ghost exhibition for children

Permanent exhibitions

• Den återställda vårdavdelningen – The former ward has been restored to its original condition, and guided tours tell how the hospital was run and how patients lived.
• Fotografier och sjukhusets historia – Photographs and objects show the people, the buildings, the diagnoses and the treatments in the closed world of Sankta Gertruds sjukhus.

Operated by

Psykiatriska museets stödförening

Admission & discounts

Payment is made in cash or with Swish; card payments are not accepted. Support members have free admission during opening hours. Guided tours for groups during regular opening hours cost nothing extra.

Accessibility

• Partially wheelchair accessible
• Elevator
• 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

There is a lift to the first floor; a staircase leads to the second floor. The visitor toilet on the first floor is small.

Kids & families

Only partly suitable for kids

Children under 12 enter free in the company of a parent or guardian, and a small ghost exhibition for children presents the legendary ghostly nun. School classes are received from year 9.

Getting there & parking

Address for navigation: Gertrudsvik Hus nr 15, Sjöstadsvägen 23, 593 44 Västervik.

Amenities & dining

• Café: not available

No refreshments are served in the museum, and your own coffee or food may not be brought in. Gertrudsvik Restaurang och Café is in the park close to the museum.

Events & venue rental

The museum hasn’t published any information on this.

Plan your visit