The Stockholm Exhibition 1930

Explore digitised objects from the ArkDes collection, with a focus on the 2025–2026 exhibition period and the theme The Stockholm Exhibition 1930.

In the summer of 1930, functionalism sweeps across Sweden, and the Stockholm Exhibition on Djurgården draws four million visits. The event showcases the architecture and design of a new era. But the exhibition that draws crowds to Djurgården is really twofold – one by day, and one by night. Neon signs, fireworks, lively cafés and restaurants along the main promenade all send a clear message: modern life doesn’t stop when the sun sets, and now it’s we who decide when darkness falls. On summer evenings, both locals and visitors watch the futuristic displays reflected in the waters of Djurgårdsbrunnsviken. From the 80-metre-high mast, glowing advertisements spread their messages across the city.