Vasamuseet (Vasa Museum)
One of Sweden's most popular museums, the Vasa Museum enshrines the warship Vasa, sunk inside Stockholm harbour while on her maiden voyage in 1628. The ship was built to the order of the great Vasa king, Gustavus Adolphus, and was the most powerful war galleon of her age. She was raised whole from the harbour bed in 1961, over 330 years after she had last seen the light of day. Carefully preserved, the ship now rests intact in the museum's main hall. Displays recreate life on board the ship and a film shows how the salvage operation was carried out. The museum's beautiful waterfront site on the island of Djurgården is an added attraction. There are guided tours in English on a daily basis, several times a day, more frequently during the summer months.

Galärvarvsvägen 14
Tel: (08) 5195 4800 or 4870 (booking office).
Website: www.vasamuseet.se  
Opening hours: Daily 0830-1800 (Jun-Aug); Thurs-Tues 1000-1700, Wed 1000-2000 (Sep-May).
Admission charge.

Stadshuset (City Hall)
Voted by the Swedes as the country's finest building, Stockholm's City Hall was begun in 1911, to an art nouveau design by Ragnar Östberg. Its interior has grand civic apartments, including the Golden Hall, with its glass and gold mosaics, while its tower gives a sweeping panorama of Stockholm. The building's Blue Hall (which is actually red) is the venue for the annual Nobel Prize banquet. Visitors must join one of the scheduled tours to see the interior, although access to the tower is unrestricted during opening hours.

Hantverkargatan 1
Tel: (08) 5082 9058.
Website: www.stockholm.se/cityhall  
Opening hours: Daily 1000 and 1200 (plus 1400 Sep-Oct) for guided tours of the interior; daily 0900-1700 (Jun-Aug), 1000-1600 (Sep) for access to the tower.
Admission charge.

Kungliga Slottet (Royal Palace)
Situated in the heart of Stockholm, on the central island of Riddarholmen, the Royal Palace is the official residence of the monarchs of Sweden and the chief venue for official state events. With 608 rooms, it is among the largest surviving palaces in Europe. The present glorious baroque edifice is the work of Nicodemus Tessin the Younger, from a 1692 design, however, parts of the older medieval Castle of Three Crowns still survive. Attractions include the Banqueting Apartments, the Apartments of the Orders of Chivalry, the Hall of State, the Royal Treasury, Gustav III's Museum of Antiquities and the Royal Chapel. The changing of the guard at the palace is as much of a spectacle in Stockholm as it is in London.

Slottsbacken
Tel: (08) 402 6130.
Website: www.royalcourt.se  
Opening hours: Tues-Sun 1200-1500 (2-6 Jan, 1 Feb-14 May and 15 Sep-30 Dec); daily 1000-1600 (15-31 May and 1-14 Sep); daily 1000-1700 (1 Jun -31 Aug). Closed 8-31 Jan.
Admission charge.

Historiska Museet (Museum of National Antiquities)
Sweden's national historical museum, which traces the nation's history from prehistoric times to the present day, is now graced by a spectacular Gold Room, housing the gold of the Viking chiefs. These hoards, recovered from tombs or hiding places, show Scandinavian Viking culture at its most prosperous and magnificent. There is also one of the finest European collections of medieval painted wooden religious sculpture and church art on exhibition.

Narvavägen 13-17
Tel: (08) 5195 5600.
Website: www.historiska.se  
Opening hours: Tues-Wed and Fri-Sun 1100-1700, Thurs 1100-2000.
Admission charge (free admission for children and young people up to 18 years of age). 

Strindbergsmuseet (Strindberg Museum)
Stockholm's most famous cultural figure has his temple here. The Blå Tornet (Blue Tower) was August Strindberg's last home, from 1908 until his death in 1912. His apartment and library have been preserved in their original state. An exhibition showcases his last works, written on the premises. The museum, which also hosts temporary exhibitions and plays, is furnished in a strikingly sparse Nordic art nouveau style.

Drottninggatan 85
Tel: (08) 411 5354.
Website: www.strindbergsmuseet.se  
Opening hours: Tues 1200-1900, Wed-Sun 1200-1600 (Mar-Oct); Tues-Sun 1200-1600 (Nov-Feb).
Admission charge.

Skansen (Open-air Museum and Zoological Park)
This open-air museum and zoo on Djurgården was founded in 1891, to preserve Sweden's rural culture and is the first such collection to be built. It was Stockholm's most visited museum in 2006 and contains some 160 historic wooden farms and houses from across Sweden. The farms have their own animals (traditional breeds tended by ‘farmers' in period costumes) and the zoo and aquarium hold both animals native to the region and more exotic species. The children's circus, zoo and playgrounds make Skansen particularly attractive to families.

Djurgården
Tel: (08) 442 8000.
Website: www.skansen.se  
Opening hours: Mon-Fri 1000-1500, Sat-Sun 1000-1600 (Jan-Feb and Nov-Dec); daily 1000-1600 (Mar-Apr and Oct); daily 1000-2000 (1 May-mid Jun and Sep); daily 1000-2200 (mid Jun-Aug).
Admission charge.