In the Neighborhood: Djurgården, Stockholm

Global Grounds and Local Treasures

Chicago’s Jackson Park or Paris’ Champ de Mars, Djurgården played host to Stockholm’s 1897 World’s Fair. Many of the island’s structures, including the museum, zoo and even the main bridge to it were constructed for the event. A decade earlier, the Eiffel Tower was introduced at the Exposition Universelle.

If museums are your thing, look no further. Walk the grounds of Djurgården, and stop by the water museum, the biological museum, maritime museum, Nordic museum—they’ve even got one devoted to spirits (the alcoholic kind) and of course, ABBA.

The island was called Valmundsö (spelled myriad ways) until the 16th century, but nobody really knows why. Then, King John III made it his personal game stable for deer, reindeer and elk. Appropriately, the island was renamed Djurgården, or, “animal park.” Fitting for the zoo that’s still there.

Wanna See It For Yourself?