We share the history of Simrishamn and the surrounding villages through exhibitions, public events, and the Garvaren museum storage facility. The museum is open year-round with free admission to all exhibitions.
Current exhibitions:
The Olden Days – Space for the Whole Family
Travel back in time in our play and learning rooms. Here you will find an old-fashioned shop and a boat to play in, a creative craft workshop, and animated films with stories about the herring and the eel. Coffee, tea, hot chocolate, and ice cream are available for purchase.
The Cinema
Short films with an ocean theme are shown here. Watch the film about Sigrid Björkegren, a prominent shipowner and in her day one of Simrishamn’s most influential employers, or the film about four generations of sailors from Österlen and how the sea shaped their destinies.
Simrishamn 900 Years
The exhibition reflects the town’s 900-year history from multiple perspectives – as a herring town, merchant hub, and holiday resort. In the exhibition room on the second floor, the town unfolds between the countryside to the west and the sea to the east. Meet local residents and explore events and developments through artefacts, texts, and films. Themes include Fishing and Shipping, Church and Power, War and Catastrophes, Trade and Merchants, Children and Youth, Craft and Industry, and Leisure and Tourism, spanning from the 12th century to the 20th century.
Discover with Nim and Nälla
Together with illustrator Jenny Hargne, we have created a children’s trail through the “Simrishamn 900 Years” exhibition. Children can follow the cat-inspired characters Nim and Nälla through the galleries. Nim is patient and loves storytelling, while Nälla loves mischief and has dressed up as a seagull. Through illustrations, short texts, crafts, and clever puzzles, children are encouraged to engage with the exhibition and explore Simrishamn’s history. The goal is to spark curiosity and a love of learning. Suitable for children aged 4–10.
What Happens If No One Knows How Anymore?
A touring exhibition on traditional craft and craftspeople produced by Sörmlands museum. Opens 19 September and runs until 31 October 2026.
Hand-Stitched Stories
Patchwork quilts created by Österlen-based textile artisan Gabriella Signäs. Opens 19 September and runs until 31 October.
The Björkegren Shipping Office
A mini-museum located in Björkegrenska gården, Storgatan 22, Simrishamn.
Österlens museum has restored the historic Björkegren shipping office to reflect how it likely appeared in the 1880s during the era of shipowner Johan Daniel Björkegren. The shipping business began in the late 1830s with coastal barge shipping across the Baltic Sea and later expanded to mainland Europe and across the Atlantic to North and South America. The restoration was carried out in cooperation with Herrlinska stiftelsen and the Gamla Cimbrishamn association, with financial support from Riksantikvarieämbetet. The shipping office is opened for visitors upon request; simply ask the staff in the museum shop.
