STOCKHOLM - SWEDEN

SCENKONSTMUSEET

Scenkonstmuseet – Swedish Museum of Performing Arts was originally founded in 1899 (then named ”Musikhistoriska museet”), inspired by an exhibition of theatre and music which was part of the great Stockholm art and industry exhibition of 1897. Via donations and appeals for gifts around 200 musical instruments and an amount of archive material concerning the history of music and theatre were gathered. The museum was opened to the general public in 1901. In 1981 the museum became part of a new public body The Swedish National Collections of Music. At the same time the museum was renamed The Stockholm Music Museum (Musikmuseet), since its activities had broadened and changed in character. Since 2010 the museum has a new public function and is now a music, theatre and dance museum. Since 2011 the museum is part of Music Development and Heritage Sweden. The museum is closed for a total renovation from January 2014 and will open again in a couple of years with a new approach and new exhibitions. The instrument collection encompasses approximately 6000 instruments with an emphasis on Western art music and Nordic folk music instruments.