Såguddens museum

About the museum

Såguddens museum is located by Kyrkviken, about a ten-minute walk from the centre of Arvika. The collections on the site were built up by Västra Värmlands Fornminnesförening (West Värmland Antiquarian Society), which began collecting older cultural objects in 1904. The open-air museum was the first in Värmland and opened in September 1922, modelled on Skansen in Stockholm.

On the site stand about twenty buildings from the 1600s and 1700s that have been moved here from western Värmland. The largest is Storbondegården (the Big Farmer’s Farm), where furnished rooms show how people lived in the past, with painted cupboards, furniture, household objects and Dala paintings (dalmålningar). The house also contains a collection of objects from the Stone Age and the Middle Ages, as well as church art and church objects.

Out in the open there is, among other things, a Forest Finnish smoke sauna (skogsfinsk rökstuga), a soldier’s croft (soldattorp), a windmill, a boathouse and a smithy. There is also a herb garden, an arboretum and a playground. At Midsummer, on National Day and on other occasions, public events are held, and in summer a café is open.

Highlights

• Storbondegården with furnished rooms and Dala paintings
• About twenty relocated buildings from western Värmland
• Collection from the Stone Age and the Middle Ages, and church art
• Forest Finnish smoke house, soldier’s croft and windmill
• Herb garden, arboretum and playground by Kyrkviken

Permanent exhibitions

• Storbondegården – Furnished rooms with painted cupboards, furniture and household objects, as well as collections from the Stone Age, the Middle Ages and church art.
• Friluftsmuseet med ett tjugotal byggnader – Relocated houses from western Värmland, among them a smoke house, soldier’s croft, windmill, boathouse and smithy.

Founded

1904

Operated by

Västra Värmlands Fornminnesförening

Admission & discounts

Admission applies to the museum buildings; the area can be visited free of charge.

Accessibility

The museum hasn’t published any information on this.

Kids & families

Great for kids & families

• Playground / play area

The site has a playground for children, a herb garden and an open area to walk in.

Getting there & parking

The museum lies by Kyrkviken, about a ten-minute walk from the centre of Arvika.

Amenities & dining

• Café

Café Carli on the site, open in summer.

Events & venue rental

The museum hasn’t published any information on this.