Get an overview of the time period.
See newly sewn women’s costumes, recreated from the 12th century to the early 16th century. A unique collaboration with the Medieval Museum.
Influential people and events, from the 11th century to today.
See unique gold and silver jewels and sparkling treasures.
Candle staffs were used in the medieval church. The staff had a twisted rope-like design, often topped with an angel. This angel comes from Njutånger in Hälsingland.
What were the living conditions like for women during the Middle Ages? There were many laws and rules that determined what women were allowed to do.
The Swedish celebration of Lucia (Saint Lucy's Day) has its roots in a saint, Lucy. She was a holy virgin who lived in Syracuse, Sicily, in the third century. The Lucia celebration as we know it today became common in the 1950s, but depictions of Lucia already existed in the Middle Ages. A religious garment in the collections of the Swedish History Museum is unique in Sweden, showing her martyrdom.
Sweden has had kings and queens for a very long time. Below you can see a line of monarchs stretching all the way to the present day. But when did Sweden become a country? The answer is not straightforward, but during the Middle Ages it emerged as a unified kingdom.
An osteologist is a specialist in skeletons, both human and animal. The word "osteology" comes from the Greek osteon, meaning bone, and logos, meaning study – so it literally means "the study of bones."
An archaeologist is a researcher who studies humanity’s past through material remains. This can include buildings, objects, graves, settlements, or other traces left by people. The purpose of archaeology is to understand past societies, their structure, ways of life, economy, beliefs, and technology.
Among the collections of the Swedish History Museum is one of Sweden’s oldest examples of the needle binding technique: a mitten known as the Åsle mitten. Radiocarbon analysis has shown that the mitten was made during the Middle Ages, much later than archaeologists had originally believed.
At the Swedish History Museum you can see two of the world’s oldest musical organs. They are no longer playable but still preserve their original painted decoration.
The Virgin Mary is one of the most depicted women in the world. In the collections of the Swedish History Museum, she appears on numerous works of art from the Middle Ages, ranging from church wooden sculptures to everyday objects and jewellery.
In 1520, Christian II of Denmark was crowned King of Sweden. But instead of marking the beginning of a festive reign, his coronation ended in a gruesome massacre. The event has gone down in history as the Stockholm blood bath.
Discover fascinating articles and objects in the museum's knowledge database, the History hub.
Published2025.11.10
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