New Museum of Modern Art is a big draw
In just one year the new Museum of Modern Art has become a major attraction in Stockholm. Almost 20% of its visitors have travelled to Stockholm with the museum at the top of their sightseeing programme. The average visitor stays in Stockholm for three days and spends about 830 kronor per day on restaurants, shopping etc. "Museum tourists" – the 20% mentioned above – account for about 130 million kronor out of the 730 million kronor that the Museum of Modern Art contributes in tourism revenue for the Greater Stockholm area. And almost all the visitors plan to visit the museum again – 20% within a year – while 24% have already made a second visit during 1998. These findings are highlighted in a visitor survey among visitors to the museum carried out on behalf of Stockholm Information Service during the period 1-3 October 1998. The interviews were carried out among a random sample of visitors at four separate points within the museum area and a total of 590 people took part – the majority female. Four out of five visitors were Swedish (42% Stockholmers) and the majority of foreign visitors were from Finland, while 6% were from other European countries and 3% from the rest of the world. The majority were average-income salaried employees or students. More than 70% were pleased with the reconstruction of the museum and there was a high level of visitor satisfaction, with an "added value" rating of 20 kronor (i.e. with an admission charge of 40 kronor, visitors valued the experience at 60 kronor).
Anders Nordstrand, Stockholm Information Service, +46-8-789 24 60

Interactive Viking centre for Stockholm's 750thanniversary
An interactive Viking centre is to be inaugurated in Saltsjöqvarn, close to the city centre, as part of Stockholm's 750th anniversary celebrations in 2002. A variety of activities will also take place to mark the opening, some in co-operation with the Museum of National Antiquities. A new building of about 4,500 square metres will transform Saltsjöqvarn – an old mill – into The World of the Vikings. It will be a multimedia-based historic experience in which visitors will be able to take a journey back in time and discover how the Vikings lived, worked and traded with the help of pictures, sounds, smells and other special effects. There will also be a variety of facilities like a Viking restaurant, Viking shop and a Virtual Reality room. Visitors will also be able to do their own excavations and, for example, feel the weight of a sword. The project emerged from discussions on the renovation of the area around Saltsjöqvarn and is expected to be ready for inauguration on 6 June 2002, the 750th anniversary of Stockholm's incorporation as a city. There are also plans to run a shuttle boat service to the Museum of National Antiquities, where visitors can continue their exciting journey of historic discovery. The project is a joint venture between Kunskapshamnen Emotion AB, the Nordic Construction Company, Stockholm Information Service and the municipality of Nacka. The development costs of the project are estimated at between 150 million and 200 million kronor. "I am certain that this Viking venture will be a huge success," says Göran Långsved, managing director of Stockholm Information Service. "Our foreign visitors are always fascinated to learn more about the Vikings."
Sven Lorentzi, Stockholm Information Service, +46-8-789 24 72

Island of animals and culture
Stockholm's green island of culture, Djurgården, welcomes some 5 million visitors every year, most of them during the summer and at weekends. In addition to the Gröna Lund amusement park, the Skansen open-air museum and the Vasa Museum, the southern part of the island houses a number of restaurants and a further six museums. The island is easily accessible by bus, vintage tram or one of the Djurgården ferries, but is not easily visited by car because some of the roads are blocked off, particularly in the residential areas. The island is a well-known and popular tourist destination but it also has a special place in the heart of all Stockholmers. It is a favourite meeting point for local students, families and senior citizens during the major national holidays and at the start of the summer season. Djurgården has a fascinating history going back to the end of the 13th century, when King Magnus Ladulås acquired parts of the island. Until the end of the 17th century it was used mainly for grazing livestock, but by then it was already a well-known area for festivities and for gentle strolls. Where the Nordic Museum stands today there was once a so-called "Lion's Den" where animals used for baiting were kept. During the time of King Karl XI (1655-97) Djurgården took on a new role as a royal hunting park. In the 1730s the island had about 30 inns as well as some small unlicensed pubs, so it was not always a particularly pleasant place to visit. Literature of that era describes "oarswomen who ferried boys and girls out so that that they could enjoy themselves and have fun". Djurgården has also been compared to the Bois de Boulogne in Paris and Regent's Park in London.

Meet me in Stockholm...
Big cities often provide musical inspiration to song-writers and composers, and there are few capitals which do not have their own "signature tune". For centuries the praises of Stockholm have been sung by artists both famous and unknown. The best-known Stockholm poet was probably Carl-Michael Bellman, whose lyrical and burlesque portrayals of life in Stockholm provided the inspiration for other interpreters of the city, its natural surroundings, its inns and everyday life. Stockholm's musical heritage is both rich and varied. The 18th century's explicit portrayals of a developing city were replaced in the 19th century by lyrical descriptive poetry about the city and its attractions. The 20th century opened with national and romantic themes, Sweden acquired its own national anthem, and Stockholm won musical acclaim with works by great Swedish composers like Wilhelm Stenhammar (1847-1921). Many Stockholm songs were written for the revues of the 1930s, when song-writers often "borrowed" a popular existing American or British melody and set it to a Stockholm text. A typical example was "Stockholm blir Stockholm" ("Stockholm becomes Stockholm"), which was originally "Starlights and Tulips" by Pete Wendling. Many of these songs have become more popular as Stockholm songs and there are examples of American recordings clearly derived from the Stockholm version. Many foreign composers have also visited Stockholm and have been inspired to commemorate the city in song. A few examples are: "Oh, Stockholm" by Marty Willson-Piper; "Meet me in Stockholm" by Doug Sahm; "Sunday in Stockholm", text and music by Dominique Labourée; and Quincy Jones's "Stockholm Sweetin'" in which Al Jarreau sings on a recording dating from 1973. The soul singer Patti Austin also took part in Quincy Jones's tribute to Stockholm and can be heard on her solo disc "The Real Me" dating from 1988.
Roland Berndt, Stockholm Information Service, +46-46-8-789 24 65

Björn Borg Museum planned
Björn Borg, one of the great tennis stars of the 1970s, is to lend his name to a prestigious hotel and museum planned for his native town, Södertälje, 30 km south of Stockholm. It will be known as the Björn Borg Centre and will include an existing popular adventure swimming pool, a gym, and an exclusive hotel with about 200 rooms which is currently being designed. In addition to the obligatory Björn Borg Suite, other rooms will be named after John McEnroe and Jimmy Connors, the Swedish star's opponents in countless nail-biting finals and semi-finals in the 1970s and early 1980s. Building work is not expected to start until next year. Björn Borg himself says the project is "very interesting" and he has promised to visit the centre at least twice a year in connection with various marketing activities.
Pia Forsberg, Träffpunkt Tälje, + 46-8-550 889 68

Meet the everyday heroes at the World Police & Fire Games
About 12,000 competitors from all over the world will be heading for Stockholm in July to take part in the World Police & Fire Games. The event takes place from 16-24 July, and the participants are all police officers, firefighters, Customs officials or prison warders. These everyday heroes will test their skills in 68 different sports at 45 venues in the Greater Stockholm area. The deadline for enrolment is 1 March. The World Police & Fire Games are not just a sporting event and Stockholm will become a festival city while the Games are taking place. A major opening party is planned for 20,000 people with food, drink and entertainment is planned for the National Maritime Museum, to be attended by both competitors and the general public. A central meeting point will be the Heroes Bar in Kungsträdgården, where bands linked to some of the competing countries will perform into the small hours.
Niclas Brantingson, World Police & Fire Games, tel +46-8-673 19 99

Millennium plans
Stockholm's millennium celebrations look set to be an unforgettable experience, with a choice of hundreds of memorable events throughout the city and the surrounding area. In addition to the city council, the celebrations are being planned by the churches and business interests, represented by Kinnevik (owner of Sweden's TV3) as well as representatives from the world of culture and entertainment. The aim is to provide a spectacular experience to mark this unique occasion. The celebrations will also highlight Stockholm as a lively winter city and an attractive destination even during the dark time of year.
Berit Svedberg, Stockholm Information Service, tel +46-8-789 25 20