Tunnelbana Tour: Art In The Stockholm Metro

Who knew Stockholm had an art gallery in its subway stations?!! Well, actually I knew about it, but it wasn’t until I took a tour that I realized how cool it was. When I was living in Stockholm 12 years ago, I never really paid much attention to it, and I certainly didn’t know it was a “planned” permanent art exhibition. So…during a recent trip to in Stockholm, I decided to take the Stockholm Metro Art Tour. I ended up visiting a total of 12 subway stations, of which 3 were on the guided tour.

T-Centralen was the first station to exhibit art in 1957. Today, Stockholm Metro has art in more than 90 stations, featuring over 150 artists, in what they like to call “the world’s longest art exhibition.” Though each station has its own identity and vibe, my favorite turned out to be Solna Centrum with its red and green brightly painted cavern walls, wide converging walkways, deep escalators, and it’s conspicuously clean polished floors.

Discover your favorite Stockholm Metro Station; every Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday at 3:00PM (in English). The 1 hour tour covers the history of Stockholm’s subway system and the history of the art work on display. The tour is free with a valid metro ticket. The meeting point is at T-Centralen Metro Station at the SL Center at Sergels torg. This tour serves as a teaser as it only includes 3 to 4 metro stations. However, once equipped with what to look for, and with the handy Metro Art Guide, you are free to explore and tour on your own. All for the price of a valid metro ticket.

*To Enlarge the photo, click on the image, then click again.

Zinkensdamm – Tiled Walls at Platform Level

Zinkensdamm – Color Prints

Universitetet -The UN Declaration of Human Rights

Universitetet – Travels of Linnaeus Rolander Tiles

Universitetet – Red Tile Walls

T-Centralen – Engraved Concrete Pillars

T-Centralen -White Tiled Walls with Figures

Stadion – Bright Colors on Blue Rock

Stadion – Blue Halls

Solna Centrum – Walkway to Escalators

Solna Centrum – Red & Green Painted Platform Walls

Råhuset – Pink Cave and Escalators (Stockholm Metro Station)

Rådmansgatan- Enamel works depicting life of August Stindberg

Östermalmstorg – Women’s Rights Movement

Mariatorget – Wrought Iron Gates

Mariatorget – Ceramic Wall with Plant Motifs

Mariatorget – Bronze Sculpture on Platform

Mariatorget – Approaching Train Passing Photos on Platform

Gamla Stan – Tiled Medieval Motif

Fridhemsplan -Wall Painting

Fridhemsplan -Wall Painting Close Up

Fridhemsplan -Walkway Green Line to Blue Line

Fridhemsplan – Anchor

 

"Subscribe to the blog!!"
"Don't miss any updates!!" Sign up for: ✈ Travel Inspiration ✈ Destination Information ✈ Travel Tips ✈
About Terri Lundberg

Terri Lundberg is an American expat currently residing with her husband in Saudi Arabia, but she calls Seattle and San Diego home. She’s a travel writer, an avid photographer and is a resource and cross cultural trainer to expats relocating to Saudi Arabia. She's been to 100 destinations, 30 countries, and counting.

Comments

  1. Great photos – and I love how they’re organized. I know the Montreal metro is one of the most art-filled, but this one is impressive too.

    • Thank You.

      I’ve never been to Montreal, but I want to go. Thanks for the heads up, I’m definitely going to check that out while there. I can do a comparison. 🙂

Trackbacks

  1. […] Tunnelbana Tour: Art In The Stockholm Metro […]

  2. […] Metro Art Tour: They call it the “World’s Longest Art Exhibition.”  And, they may be right. Art first started appearing in the Metro stations in 1957, with the first station being T-Centralen. Today the metro features over 150 artists in more than 90 stations. The unknowing person may not even notice the art, but if you look, it’s everywhere from the engraved cement slabs in T-Centralen to the “UN Declaration of Human Rights”, tiled murals on the walls behind the tracks of Universitetet. A one hour tour is offered every Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday at 3:00PM (in English) and it’s free with a valid metro ticket. […]