Västergötlands museum

About the museum

Västergötlands museum in Skara is the province’s cultural history museum. Its roots lie in Västergötlands Fornminnesförening (Västergötland Antiquarian Society), formed in 1863, and the museum building was inaugurated in 1919. The association’s members chose Skara as their seat and over a few decades built up a comprehensive cultural history collection, which today is one of the country’s largest. The building was designed by the architect Charles Lindholm and stands in the Stadsträdgården (Town Garden), next to Skara’s medieval town centre with the cathedral.

Adjacent to the museum lies the open-air museum Fornbyn, which also celebrated its centenary in 2021. Here there are about thirty buildings from all over Västergötland, including a rural general store, a smithy, crofts, a cowshed and a church, moved here to show the old peasant society. Since 2017 Kata Gård in Varnhem has also belonged to the museum, with an exhibition on Christian Vikings and the crypt of the monastery church.

The exhibitions tell the history of the province from the Ice Age and the Stone Age, including one of Sweden’s oldest skeletons and the unique Fröslundasköldarna (Fröslunda shields), through the medieval town of Skara to modern times. The museum is also a cultural environment centre working with archaeology and building conservation, and its three founders are Västra Götaland Region, Skara Municipality and Västergötlands Fornminnesförening.

Highlights

• Over 10,000 years of Västergötland history in the basic exhibitions
• The exhibition Mellan is och eld (Between Ice and Fire) with the Fröslunda shields
• The open-air museum Fornbyn with about thirty buildings
• Kata Gård in Varnhem with the crypt beneath the monastery church
• Free admission to the museum, Fornbyn and Kata Gård

Permanent exhibitions

• Skara i medeltid – The exhibition lets the visitor meet medieval Skara, which was founded by the king in the earliest years of the Middle Ages and became an important bishop’s seat.
• Mellan is och eld – The exhibition tells of the first people and of how landscapes and societies changed, from the Stone Age to the Iron Age, with the Fröslunda shields among other things.
• Själabärarna – Objects from the collections of stone, wood and metal show the experiences, knowledge and feelings that have followed people through the ages.

Founded

1919

Operated by

Västergötlands museum (stiftare: Västra Götalandsregionen, Skara kommun och Västergötlands Fornminnesförening)

Admission & discounts

Admission is free.

Free admission to Västergötlands museum, Fornbyn and Kata Gård. An entrance ticket may need to be bought for certain activities. Payment in the shop and café can be by card, cash or Swish.

Accessibility

• Wheelchair accessible
• Elevator
• Accessible restroom
• Accessible parking
• Service dogs welcome
• Tactile models & exhibits: no information
• Sign language tours: no information
• Easy-to-read materials: no information
• Audio description: no information

The entrance has an automatic door opener. The exhibitions are on the entrance level, on the basement level of the old museum building and up one flight of stairs; a lift goes up one flight and a stair lift down to the basement level. Three toilets are opposite the entrance, one of which is adapted for disabled people. Disabled parking is at the gable of the old building near the entrance. Induction loop in the lecture hall. The museum uses fragrance-free cleaning products, and pets are not allowed except guide dogs. More information is in the Tillgänglighetsdatabasen (accessibility database).

Kids & families

Great for kids & families

• Family tours & workshops
• Activity booklet, scavenger hunt or kids’ audio guide
• Baby changing facilities

The museum has school programmes and holiday and weekend activities. In Fornbyn, children can play the app Fornbyäventyret (Fornby Adventure), in which they follow Nils on a house inspection and scan QR codes. A changing table is in the toilet area opposite the entrance.

Getting there & parking

From Skara bus station, follow Järnvägsgatan past the cathedral and the diocesan and provincial library, then Veterinärgatan or Trädgårdsgatan down to the brook. The museum entrance is on the east side of the old building. Next to it are the Skara skolscen (Skara school stage) and the Veterinärhistoriska museet (Veterinary History Museum).

Amenities & dining

• Café
• Museum shop
• Coat check
• Lockers

The shop and café share premises at reception and have seating for 30 guests. The café serves sandwiches, cakes and drinks, and the coffee is organic and Fairtrade. Packed lunches may not be eaten in the café but may be eaten in other places, for example in Fornbyn. Cloakroom with lockers opposite the entrance.

Events & venue rental

• Spaces for rent

Up to 600 guests.

The lecture hall (85 seats, 62 of them fixed), the lecture hall together with Lilla hallen (200 people), conference rooms, the exhibition Skara i medeltid (70 people) and Härjevad church and other premises in Fornbyn can be hired. Maximum 600 visitors in total in the public premises.

Plan your visit