ArkDes welcomes you back – doors reopen on September 27th!

The museum’s exhibition halls have been redesigned by the architectural duo Arrhov Frick. With a new entrance, a new collection exhibition, and free admission throughout the fall, we look forward to welcoming all visitors back to ArkDes.

Dive into the ArkDes collection—one of the world’s largest architectural collections—through drawings, sketches, photographs, letters, and models that tell the stories of the visions and people who shaped modern Sweden.

Explore the stories hidden in the museum’s collection, get up close to the drawings, and chat with ArkDes curators about architecture and design through the new concept of Unboxing.

Learn more about when the first menstrual cup was created, how the future birthing chair might look, and how design has enabled, facilitated, or prevented our arrival into the world in the temporary exhibition Designing Motherhood: Things That Make and Break Our Births.

Step into ArkDes and out onto Torget, a place where you can engage in discussions about the transformation our societies are undergoing today to meet the challenges of tomorrow. See the installation Power of Places, and try weaving with MalmöVÄV.

During ArkDes’s opening weekend, held between September 27–29, the whole family can enjoy a variety of free guided tours, workshops, and festivities. Read more about the packed program on the ArkDes calendar.

Welcome to ArkDes. We look forward to seeing you!

New Exhibition Design by Arrhov Frick

The museum’s exhibition halls have been redesigned by the award-winning architectural duo Arrhov Frick. By reusing large amounts of steel, wood, and glass already present in the museum, they have created entirely new structures tailored to showcase ArkDes’ unique collection.

Read about Arrhov Frick’s work and vision here.

The Ideas that Shaped Modern Sweden

The ArkDes collection consists of over four million drawings, sketches, photographs, letters, and models from 1850 to today and is one of the world’s largest architectural collections. In ArkDes new collection exhibition, ArkDes Collection, you will be able to explore the objects, processes, creativity, visions, and people behind our built environment. It is a living collection that not only helps us understand and reevaluate history, but also allows us to get to know the people who shaped modern Sweden.

Read more about the ArkDes Collection here.

Unboxing

Discover never-before-seen material from one of the world’s largest architectural collections together with ArkDes’s curators. With the new concept Unboxing, we look at drawings, sketches, and photographs from the collection’s four million objects. Every afternoon, you can explore the stories hidden in the museum’s collection, get up close to the drawings, and converse with the curators about architecture, design, and construction – welcome to Unboxing.

Read more about Unboxing here.

Designing Motherhood

As the first presentation of the exhibition in Europe, ArkDes presents the groundbreaking show Designing Motherhood: Things That Make and Break Our Births. The exhibition reveals how design has influenced human reproduction over the past 150 years, how it has enabled, facilitated, or prevented our arrival into the world. The exhibition also depicts the development of design, the struggle for rights, and changing social norms.

Read more about Designing Motherhood here.

Torget

Torget is the place where you are invited to participate in discussions about the role of architecture and design in addressing tomorrow’s challenges. In the installation Power of Places, the architect and artist group Layered explores methods for how the Nyhamnen district in Malmö can be developed by utilizing what already exists. During the opening weekend, you can also try weaving together with MalmöVÄV at Torget.

Read more about Torget and the installation Power of Places here.

Utsikten

Already throughout this summer Utsikten—ArkDes’ secret garden located at the back of the museum—opened through a process of co-creation and play. Designed by the art, architecture, and design group MYCKET and created together with children from the Filosofiska School in Skarpnäck, it was further developed by visitors across the summer. Continue building the secret garden during the autumn’s free workshops or play at Utsikten on your own, 24/7.

Read more about Utsikten here.

Family Activities

ArkDes offers free workshops during weekends and holidays based on the creative world of architecture and design.

During the opening weekend, we are inspired by MalmöVÄV at Torget and continue weaving upstairs in the Studio. At Utsikten – ArkDes’ secret garden – a large troll ear has grown out of scrap, clay, and plants during the summer. Welcome out to explore and play at Utsikten all weekend.

Find Your Way to ArkDes

On this page, you’ll find all the necessary information to get to beautiful Skeppsholmen and visit ArkDes.

ArkDes, the Swedish Centre for Architecture and Design, is a museum and government agency located on Skeppsholmen in Stockholm. It works nationwide to promote and develop the role of architecture and design in society.