Even from afar, the Vasa Museum stands out. Is that a ship’s masts you see in the distance? Indeed, this maritime museum is as fascinating from outside as it is on the inside. The museum’s namesake is the 17th century warship that sank on her maiden voyage, and it is known to be the only 17th century ship preserved to this day. As with all such intriguing remnants of the past, Vasa has her own story to tell. Built with the purpose of being the flagship of the new Swedish navy, the construction was rushed and the ship was relatively top-heavy. The ship had barely sailed a single nautical mile before she keeled on her port side after a strong gust of wind. Water gushed into the open gun ports and onto the lower deck.

The horrified onlookers present witnessed not only Vasa’s first journey, but also her last. Within minutes, there was no trace of the ship above the surface, and her location was lost to the world for a whole three centuries! Archaeologist Anders Franzén took to the helm to locate the ship and succeeded, uncovering not only the ship but also the many artifacts that came with it (and the remains of at least 15 people who had been on board). Your trip to the Vasa museum will lead you to the ship herself, where you can admire her in her well-preserved glory, as well as the various artifacts on display.