Museum of Spirits, Spirits museum in Djurgården, Stockholm, Sweden
The Museum of Spirits occupies the Galärskjulen, a former naval barracks on Djurgården, with 2,000 square metres of exhibition space. Its displays trace Swedish wine and spirits production through bottling equipment, labels, drinking songs and a reconstructed wine shop from before the Systembolaget monopoly. The Absolut Art Collection, with works by Andy Warhol and 550 other artists, is shown in thematic exhibitions.
The museum was founded in 1967 to mark the 50th anniversary of AB Vin & Sprit and was first housed in Grönstedtska palace. It moved to Djurgården in 2012, where it has been ever since.
The museum's cultural programme includes the Swedish Championship in newly written snapsvisor, held since 1995, and a permanent exhibition on Swedish drinking songs. The Absolut Art Collection, with works by Andy Warhol and 550 other artists, is shown in an annual thematic exhibition from spring through summer, with a solo show by an Absolut artist each autumn.
The museum is on the island of Djurgården, which is easy to reach by ferry, bus, or on foot from central Stockholm. It is worth setting aside enough time to go through the different sections of the collection without rushing.
The collection holds Andy Warhol's first commissioned artwork for Absolut Vodka, made in 1986, which launched a series of over 900 pieces by artists from around the world. The commission was originally intended to raise the brand's profile in the US market, and it ended up changing how companies worked with artists in advertising.
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