Dance Legends – Myths in Motion
Surrounded by medieval sculptures and altarpieces in the Gothic Hall, costumes from three ballets are on display: Saint George and the Dragon (1976), The Foolish Virgins (1920/1962), and Eurydice Is Dead (1968). The costumes were created by Marie-Louise Ekman, Einar Nerman, and Eva Ek-Schaeffer, and connect to the stories depicted in the surrounding church art.
Dance Legends – Myths in Motion shows how the choreographers Mats Ek, Jean Börlin, and Birgit Cullberg used older myths and religious motifs to reflect the questions, conflicts, and ideas of their own time. Jean Börlin made the Swedish Ballet one of the most celebrated avant-garde companies in 1920s Paris. Birgit Cullberg and Mats Ek are two dance artists from different generations who renewed modern dance by giving classical stories relevance for our own time. Together, they demonstrate how dance has reshaped familiar stories of love, death, and resurrection.
Photo: Ola Myrin, Swedish History Museum/SHM.
Exhibition production
The exhibition is a collaboration between the Swedish History Museum and Dansmuseet (the Dance Museum). Through the encounter between medieval art and dance costumes from later periods, the exhibition explores how old stories continue to inspire new interpretations—and how myths can be given new life through movement.
What to know before your visit
- Admission: Free admission for children and youth aged 0–18. See admission fees for adults.
- Cloakroom: The cloakroom is located on the entrance floor. Here you will find lockers with locks. Small bags are allowed inside the exhibition areas. If you want to store larger suitcases, you can borrow a key at the information desk for the larger lockers in the cloakroom.
- Strollers: You are allowed to bring strollers inside the museum, except in the Gold Room.
Accessibility
We strive to continuously improve our accessibility to make it easy to visit us, both on-site and digitally. There are elevators to all floors, accessible toilets on all three levels, and disabled parking close to the entrance. Guide dogs are welcome.
