Kvistaberg Observatory, Astronomical observatory and museum in Upplands-Bro Municipality, Sweden
Kvistaberg Observatory is an astronomical observatory and museum in Upplands-Bro Municipality, situated between Uppsala and Stockholm. The facility houses a large telescope designed for wide-field sky observations and now operates as a museum displaying astronomical instruments and research findings.
Founded in 1919 by artist Nils Tamm as a private facility, it opened to the public in 1948 after he donated it. Uppsala University then operated it for astronomical research for many decades before shifting its role to a museum.
The name comes from the hilltop where it stands, reflecting its connection to the surrounding landscape that locals knew well. Visitors today see how researchers worked here and what tools they relied on for their observations.
The location sits on a hilltop between two major cities and is accessible by car or public transport. Visitors should allow time to explore the indoor exhibits and learn about the astronomical work conducted there.
Nils Tamm's ashes are walled into the pillar of the 1919 instrument, so the founder rests inside the observatory he built. The asteroid 3331 Kvistaberg, discovered in 1979 by Claes-Ingvar Lagerkvist, was named for the site where hundreds of minor planets were found with the Schmidt telescope between 1975 and 2005.
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