Skansen – traveling back in time

Skansen is an amazing open air museum. The sheer size of it is mind-blowing – 75 acres – one of the largest in the world. Just the entrance itself is so beautiful that I had to stop and take a breath. And sketch. The small figure with a backpack was meant to be Lou, my husband, added later for scale.

Inside the experience just gets better and better. A small 19th century Swedish town is situated on a hill. Shops, a post office, an inn, a church (kyrka), a couple of farms with goats and pigs, businesses, a tobacco-growing patch, all complete with shopkeepers and artisans in traditional dress doing the work, showing skills, talking about history and answering questions in multiple languages.

The people working there really impressed me – they looked so authentic, their faces (if not modern dental work) really belonged to the time. So I asked a young woman combing wool (in the sketch above) whether they were actors type casted. She explained to me that people working these jobs are not actors, but are historians and researchers working for the museum. Their duties also include educating the public by doing and demonstrating.

7 Comments

  1. Sue Pownall September 14, 2012

    Your top sketch is amazing.
    The museum sounds very interesting.

    • Alex Zonis September 15, 2012

      Skansen was fantastic, Sue. If you are in Stockholm, do visit it. And it is big, we spent several hours there and probably did not cover a half of it, to my regret. Thank you for the comment!

  2. Carol King September 15, 2012

    I love your sketches and I’m really enjoying the information on Sweden. Thanks Alex.

    • Alex Zonis September 15, 2012

      We aim to please! And we are happy when we succeed! LOL.
      This trip was fantastic, I loved Stockholm. And I loved people there. And I loved how they bicycle everywhere and how they treat their dogs… I want to go back…

  3. lesliepaints September 28, 2012

    Even your writing is perfection, Alex! I’m enjoying following your travels through your sketchbook. Thank you!

  4. lindahalcombfineart October 7, 2012

    Your sketches and writing are very enjoyable. We have a living history museum near Indianapolis that takes visitors back to the Indiana of 1830’s. I really enjoy this type of experience and always learn something.

    • Alex Zonis October 7, 2012

      These are the best museums, Linda! I so enjoyed Skansen! You are lucky to have one like this close by.

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