Gothenburg Natural History Museum

Overview

Gothenburg Natural History Museum (Naturhistoriska Museet), founded in 1833, is one of Sweden's oldest and most visited natural history museums. Its star attraction is "Malm Whale" — a mounted blue whale from 1865 that you can walk inside. The museum fills the neo-Renaissance building in Slottsskogen park with taxidermy dioramas, geological specimens, and temporary exhibitions.

Highlights

• Malm Whale: One of only a handful of mounted blue whales in the world — visitors can step inside the mouth and view the skeleton from within.
• African Hall: Life-size dioramas of savannahs, rainforests, and deserts with taxidermied animals in naturalistic settings.
• Mineral Collection: An impressive collection of Swedish geological specimens, including iron ores and rare minerals.

History

The museum was established in 1833 and has occupied its current building in Slottsskogen since 1923. The famous blue whale was found stranded on the Swedish coast in 1865 and was mounted by taxidermist August Malm. The museum was one of the first in the world to use ecological diorama displays.

Visitor Tips

• Tip 1: Free admission — combine with a Slottsskogen park visit for a full afternoon.
• Tip 2: The Malm Whale is on the ground floor — head there first before exploring the upper galleries.
• Duration: 1–1.5 hours.