Editing Skansen

{{short description|Open-air museum in Sweden}}
{{about|the museum in Stockholm|the district of Turku, Finland|Skanssi}}
{{expand Swedish|date=March 2024|topic=struct}}
{{Infobox museum
| name             = Skansen
| native_name      = 
| native_name_lang = 
| logo = Skansen Logo.svg
| image            = Skansen huvudentre 2010.jpg
| imagesize        = 250
| caption          = Main entrance
| alt              = 
| map_type         = 
| map_caption      = 
| map_alt          = 
| coordinates      = {{coord|59|19|34|N|18|06|13|E|region:SE_type:landmark|display=inline}}
| established      = {{Start date|1891|10|11|df=y}}
| dissolved        = 
| location         = [[Djurgården]], [[Stockholm]], Sweden
| type             = [[Open-air museum|Open-air living museum]] and [[zoo]]
| collection       = 
| visitors         = 1,369,431 (2016)<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.sverigesmuseer.se/wp/wp-content/uploads/2017/01/RSM_besoksunders-2016_rikspress.pdf |title=Archived copy |access-date=2018-03-24 |archive-date=2017-01-18 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170118091517/http://www.sverigesmuseer.se/wp/wp-content/uploads/2017/01/RSM_besoksunders-2016_rikspress.pdf |url-status=dead }}</ref>
| director         = John Brattmyhr
| president        = 
| curator          = 
| owner            =
| publictransit    = 
| car_park         = 
| network          = 
| website          = {{URL|http://www.skansen.se/en/}}
}}
'''Skansen''' ({{IPA|sv|ˈskǎnːsɛn|lang}}; "the [[Sconce (fortification)|Sconce]]") is the oldest [[open-air museum]] and [[zoo]] in Sweden located on the island [[Djurgården]] in [[Stockholm]], [[Sweden]]. It was opened on 11 October 1891 by [[Artur Hazelius]] (1833–1901) to show the way of life in the [[Provinces of Sweden|different parts of Sweden]] before the industrial era.

The term "skansen" has become a generic term referring to other open-air museums and collections of historic structures, particularly in [[Central Europe|Central]] and [[Eastern Europe]], but also in the [[United States]], e.g. [[Old World Wisconsin]] and [[Fairplay, Colorado]].

== History ==
[[File:Folkvisedanslaget, den första ringen, vid Skansens vårfest 1904, på sommarteatern å nedre Solliden - Nordiska Museet - NMA.0052947.jpg|thumb|Folk dance at Skansen in 1904.]]
[[File:Gruppbild av personalen på Skansen, kullor och en man i mitten. Gåva till Arthur Hazelius - Nordiska Museet - NMA.0044869.jpg|thumb|Skansen staff in 1896.]]
[[File:Valrossarna på Skansen matas av djurskötare och herre i paletå och hög hatt - Nordiska Museet - NMA.0048348.jpg|thumb|Walrus being fed at Skansen, 1908.]]
The 19th century was a period of great change throughout [[Europe]], and Sweden was no exception. Its rural way of life was rapidly giving way to an industrialised society and many feared that the country's many traditional customs and occupations might be lost to history. Artur Hazelius, who had previously founded the [[Nordic Museum]] on the island of Djurgården near the centre of Stockholm, was inspired by the [[Norsk Folkemuseum|open-air museum]], founded by King [[Oscar II of Sweden|Oscar II]] in [[Oslo|Kristiania]] in 1881, when he created his open-air museum on the hill that dominates the island. Skansen became the model for other early open-air museums in [[Scandinavia]] and later ones elsewhere.

Skansen was originally a part of the Nordic Museum, but became an independent organisation in 1963. The objects within the Skansen buildings are still the property of the Nordic Museum.

After extensive travelling, Hazelius bought around 150 houses from all over the country (as well as one structure from [[Telemark]] in [[Norway]]) and had them shipped piece by piece to the museum, where they were rebuilt to provide a unique picture of traditional Sweden. Only three of the buildings in the museum are not original, and were painstakingly copied from examples he had found. All of the buildings are open to visitors and show the full range of Swedish life from the Skogaholm Manor house built in 1680, to the 16th century Älvros farmhouses.

== The open-air museum ==
Skansen attracts more than 1.3 million visitors each year.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.skansen.se |title=Skansen |publisher=Official site |access-date=7 February 2008}}</ref> The many exhibits over the 75 [[acre]] (300,000 m²) site include a full replica of an average 19th-century town, in which craftsmen in traditional dress such as tanners, shoemakers, silversmiths, bakers and glass-blowers demonstrate their skills in period surroundings. There is even a small patch growing [[tobacco]] used for the making of [[cigarette]]s. There is also an open-air [[zoo]] containing a wide range of [[Scandinavia]]n animals including the [[brown bear]], [[moose]], [[grey seal]], [[Eurasian lynx]],  [[Arctic fox]], [[otter]], [[reindeer]], [[harbour seal]], [[Eurasian eagle owl]], [[great grey owl]] and [[wolverine]], as well as some non-Scandinavian animals. There are also farmsteads where rare breeds of [[farm animals]] can be seen.

In early December the site's central Bollnäs square is host to a popular Christmas market that has been held since 1903, attracting around 25,000 visitors each weekend. In the summer there are displays of [[folk dancing]] and concerts.

== Funicular railway ==
Since 1897, Skansen has been served by the [[Skansens Bergbana]], a [[funicular|funicular railway]] on the northwest side of the Skansen hill. The funicular is 196.4 meters long, with a total rise of 34.57 meters.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.funiculars.net/articles.php?art=skansen_se |title=Skansens Bergbana |publisher=Funiculars.net|access-date=25 June 2007}}</ref>

Skansen is also served by trams on [[Spårväg City|line 7]].

== Keepers of Skansen ==
{| class="wikitable"
! Year || Keeper
|-
| 1891–1901 || [[Artur Hazelius]]
|-
| 1901–1905 || [[Gunnar Hazelius]]
|-
| 1905–1912 || [[Bernhard Salin]]
|-
| 1913–1928 || [[Gustaf Upmark]]
|-
| 1929–1955 || [[Andreas Lindblom]]
|-
| 1956–1968 || [[Gösta Berg]]
|-
| 1969–1982 || [[Nils Erik Baehrendtz]]
|-
| 1982–1991 || [[Eva Nordenson]]
|-
| 1992–1994 || [[Hans Alfredson]]
|-
| 1995–2005 || [[Anna-Greta Leijon]]
|-
| 2005–2023 || [[John Brattmyhr]]
|-
| 2023– || {{ill|Maria Groop Russel|sv|Maria Groop Russel}}<ref>{{cite news |title=Dramatens vd blir ny Skansenchef |url=https://tt.omni.se/dramatens-vd-blir-ny-skansenchef/a/8JxEaW |access-date=28 December 2024 |agency=TT / Omni |date=24 March 2023}}</ref>
|}

== Gallery ==
<gallery>
File:Skogaholm_Manor.jpg|Skogaholm Manor
File:Skansen-SkogaholmHerrgard-westwing-MathewDodson.jpg|The west wing of Skogaholm Manor in early summer.  It contains a library, china pantry and five guest rooms.
File:Allsang pa Skansen 2004-07-20.jpg|''[[Allsång på Skansen]]'' ("Sing-along at Skansen") is a popular annual event.
File:Largest cigar.jpg|World's largest cigar at the Tobacco and Matchstick Museum
File:Скансенс.jpg|Skansen on a winter afternoon
File:Swedenborgs lusthus Skansen 2005-07-29 02.jpg|Summerhouse of [[Emanuel Swedenborg|Swedenborg]]
File:Skansens bergbana 050701 06.JPG|The funicular railway
File:Kåta 050701.JPG|A [[Sami people|Sami]] hut
File:Seglora church 050701.JPG|[[Seglora]] Church
File:Grinning Bear.jpg|A [[brown bear]] at Skansen
File:Kyrkhyltstugan skansen.JPG|House from [[Blekinge County]] now at Skansen
File:Skansen spinner.jpg|A docent demonstrating spinning at Skansen
File:Eingang Skansen.jpg|Entrance Building
</gallery>

== See also ==
* [[Culture in Stockholm]]
* [[Royal National City Park]]
* The [[Baltic Sea Science Center]], located on the same site
* [[Västernorrland County Museum]]

== References ==
{{Reflist}}

== External links ==
{{commons category|Skansen}}
*{{official website|http://www.skansen.se/en/}}
* [http://www.edwebproject.org/scandinavia/skansen.html Andy Carvin's Skansen Gallery]
* [http://www.skansen-akvariet.se Skansen-akvariet]
* [http://www.360travelguide.com/360VirtualTour.asp?iCode=sto30 Panoramic virtual tour of brown bear enclosure at Skansen]
* [https://www.youtube.com/edit?o=U&video_id=471lCR81xFw The Skansen Funicular Railway]

{{Museums in Stockholm}}
{{Zoos of Sweden}}

{{authority control}}

[[Category:Skansen| ]]
[[Category:Museums in Stockholm]]
[[Category:Zoos in Sweden]]
[[Category:Open-air museums in Sweden]]
[[Category:Living museums]]
[[Category:Folk museums in Sweden]]
[[Category:1891 establishments in Sweden]]
[[Category:Educational organizations established in 1891]]
[[Category:Zoos established in the 19th century]]
[[Category:Cultural heritage of Sweden]]
[[Category:Museums established in 1891]]
[[Category:1890s establishments in Stockholm]]