Stockholm rewards visitors who are willing to go beyond the obvious. The city's art scene stretches from world-class institutions on the waterfront to experimental spaces tucked into post-war suburbs, and this summer's programming makes a strong case for spending your time in the archipelago. Here's what we have on our to-do list:

Moderna Museet exterior, photo by Emma Wickström

Moderna Museet | Exercisplan 4

Tue – Sun: 10am – 6pm | Tue & Fri until 8pm

The starting point for any serious visit to Stockholm. Moderna Museet sits on the island of Skeppsholmen and holds one of Europe's finest collections of modern and contemporary art, with photography dating back to 1840. The permanent collection is essential, but this summer's programming raises the stakes further. A major Brassaï retrospective gathers over 160 black-and-white photographs from his nocturnal walks through 1930s Paris. The experience is intimate and iconic in equal measure. Running alongside it, a long-overdue solo exhibition for Anna Casparsson, whose embroidered textile paintings are being shown here for the first time since 1960.

Anna Casparsson: Island of Bliss closes 27 September, and Brassaï: The Secret Signs of Paris closes 4 October

Fotografiska 2016 | Photo: Julian Herzog

Fotografiska | Stadsgårdshamnen 22

Open Daily: 10am – 11pm

A centre for contemporary photography in the Södermalm district, and one of Stockholm's most visited cultural institutions since it opened in 2010. The late hours make it an easy evening stop. This summer, two strong shows: South African artist Lebohang Kganye's large-scale scenographic installation exploring home as a site of both safety and tension, and a major retrospective of British Magnum photographer Martin Parr, who passed away in December 2025. Short & Sweet covers more than 50 years of his work and doubles as a fitting farewell to one of photography's most distinctive voices.

To get to the museum, you’ll want to take the 15-minute Fotografiska boat from Strandvägen.

Lebohang Kganye: Le Sale ka Kgotso closes 18 October and Martin Parr: Short & Sweet closes 27 September.

Nationalmuseum Exterior Photo © Peter Haas

Nationalmuseum of Sweden | Södra Blasieholmshamnen 2

Tue – Sun: 11am – 6pm | Fri closes at 5pm

Founded in 1792, the Nationalmuseum is one of Europe's oldest art museums and Sweden's primary collection of paintings, sculpture, decorative arts and design. There's always a great deal to take in across the permanent galleries. This summer, two shows stand out: a joint exhibition pairing Swedish ceramic designer Wilhelm Kåge with Japanese Mingei master Shōji Hamada. The exhibition serves as a meditation on craft, beauty and cross-cultural exchange. Then, there’s an extensive retrospective on neoclassical sculptor Johan Tobias Sergel, a major figure in Swedish art history whose international reputation is well overdue for a closer look.

Wilhelm Kåge & Shoji Hamada: Ceramics across borders closes January 2027 and Sergel – fantasy and reality closes 9 August

Bust of Prince Eugen in the sculpture garden. Photo by Ann-Louise Paulsson

Prins Eugens Waldemarsudde | Prins Eugensväg 6, Djurgården

Tue – Sun: 11am – 5pm | Thur until 8pm

Originally the home of Prince Eugen, Waldemarsudde is today one of Sweden's most visited art museums and is widely considered to be one of its most beautiful. The estate sits on the water's edge on Djurgården island, and the combination of early 20th-century architecture, gardens and art is genuinely hard to beat. This summer's exhibition, The Blooming, brings together nearly 200 works across painting, sculpture, photography and craft in a wide-ranging survey of flowers in art and cultural history from the 16th century to the present. Visually rich, and the setting couldn’t be more fitting.

The Blooming – Art & Botany closes 13 September

Aerial photograph of Artipelag, courtesy Artipelag

Artipelag | Artipelagstigen 1, Gustavsberg

Open Daily: 10:30am – 6pm

The name is a combination of Art, Activities and Archipelago, an apt title that tells you exactly what you're getting. Artipelag sits on Värmdö island in Stockholm's archipelago, reachable by car, bike or direct bus from the city centre. The gallery space spans 32,000 square feet, making it one of Stockholm's largest museum campuses. With water on all sides, an outdoor sculpture park, and two restaurants with sea views, this is simply a must-see for any trip to Stockholm. This summer, the gallery presents the first Swedish solo exhibition of Thai-Norwegian artist Apichaya Wanthiang alongside new work by Stockholm-born Fredrik Wretman, whose immersive architectural installations play with light and the changing nature outside.

Apichaya Wanthiang: January 2567 closes 30 August and Fredrik Wretman: IC 3 D 2 (it's all in your head) closes 30 August.

Samuraj I & Samuraj II by Claes Hake at Wetterling Gallery. Courtesy of Wetterling Gallery

Wetterling Gallery | Nybrogatan 20

Tue – Fri: 11am – 5:30pm | Sat: 1pm – 4pm | Or by appointment

One of Scandinavia's leading contemporary galleries, and a good stop for anyone wanting to take the pulse of what's happening in the region. They’re currently running an exhibition on Contemporary Swedish Glass in collaboration with Kosta Boda. The show features works by Åsa Jungnelius, Bertil Vallien, Hanna Hansdotter, and more, highlighting the significance of glassblowing across generations of Swedish contemporary art.

Swedish Glass in collaboration with Kosta Boda closes 16 August

The factory must grow, Jonna Bo Lammers and Lotte Masker (VAAF)

Konsthall C | Cigarrvägen 14, Farsta

Thur – Sun: 12pm – 5pm

A former communal laundry in the Hökarängen borough of southern Stockholm, Konsthall C has been running as an artist-led exhibition space and workspace since the 90s. The neighbourhood itself is a well-preserved example of Swedish post-war urban planning, so a must see destination for architecture enthusiasts. As an institution, Konsthall C occupies an important position in Stockholm's art ecosystem. Independent, experimental, and a refreshing change from the city's more polished gallery circuit.

Poseidon by Carl Milles Courtesy of Millesgården Museum

Millesgården Museum | Herserudsvägen 32, Lidingö

Tue – Sun: 11am – 5pm

The former home and studio of sculptor Carl Milles, set on a dramatic terrace above the water on Lidingö island. The sculpture park is filled with Milles' monumental bronze figures seemingly suspended against the sky and sea and is one of the most photographed spots in Stockholm. The indoor gallery and antique-filled house add depth to the visit, but the park is the main event.

The Vasa, courtesy of the Vasa Museum

Vasa Museet | Galärvarvsvägen 14

Open Daily: 8:30 am – 6 pm

Not contemporary art, but a genuine marvel worth visiting. The Vasa is a near-perfectly preserved 17th-century warship that sank on her maiden voyage in 1628 and was raised from Stockholm harbour in 1961. The museum built around her is extraordinary, and the scale of the ship is genuinely difficult to process. Throughout the museum, exhibitions highlighting the history of naval power and design, as well as recovered artifacts from the seabed where the Vasa sat for over 330 years. A reminder that some of the most powerful objects in the world aren't in galleries.

As always, we recommend giving yourself more time than you think you need. The best visits rarely go to plan, and Stockholm is a city that tends to reward wandering.