Scan Magazine

By Nia Kajastie

Prince EugensWaldemarsudde is no ordinary museum, but rather “a unique combination of a royal home, exquisite exhibitions and enchanting gardens,” says Museum Director Elsebeth Welander- Berggren. Located on the island of Djurgården, this stunning estate was once home to Prince Eugen (1865-1947), the son of King Oscar II.

The history of the estate ismade themore fascinating by Prince Eugen’s lifelong love of painting, art collecting and gardening. The Prince chose his calling early on and pursued a career in arts alongside his official duties, and by 1890 he had become a renowned landscape painter. His works include Molnet (The Cloud) and Det gamla slottet (The Old Castle), both part of the collections at Waldemarsudde. The estate was acquired by the Prince in 1899, and in addition to keeping the original manor house building (the Old House) intact, he designed a castle-likemain building (the Mansion), a Gallery Building and developed a beautiful garden.

Exquisite exhibitions

In his will, Prince Eugen left both his home and art collection to the Swedish state, as well as requesting that his home be preserved the way he left it. Accordingly, the Prince’s Private Apartments can still be seen in their original glory, with fresh flowers provided by the museum’s greenhouses. In addition to the princely art collection, the museum hosts up to eight temporary exhibitions a year. Current exhibitions include portraits by Carl Wilhelmson and works from the Golden Age of Finnish painting.

Welander-Berggren ismore than pleased with the museum’s achievements: “We host interesting exhibitions that keep attracting more people every year. We’re very fortunate concerning visitors.We had about 162,000 last year, and this year it must be around 190,000 already.” She also confirms that next year will see the opening of exhibitions by painters Roland Svensson and Anders Zorn, and sculptor Per Hasselberg. In the summer of 2010, the museum will collaborate with the medical university Karolinska Institute for its 200th anniversary. The event will include an exhibition of books with medical paintings and lectures on related subjects. Themuseumwill also celebrate the 200th anniversary of the Bernadotte dynasty and the crown princess’s nuptials.

For more information visit:
www.waldemarsudde.se