The Tim Traveller visited Stockholm recently and as often happens when an outsider visits, you learn something new about your own world when seen through their eyes.
Tim’s video is about Easter eggs in the Stockholm metro. Not literal eggs but extra features hidden in plain sight. In this case it’s the ventilation grills below the windows that reveal surprising patterns. Calling out aspects of Stockholm, crowns, oak leaves, music industry and computer games.
I happen to live near the end of exactly the line hosting the trains with these features and of course I’ve never noticed them. Until now.
I’ve been commuting to the city for on site interviews last week so I took the opportunity to go egg hunting. Look and behold! I found them.
The National Museum
While I was in the city centre, I also took the opportunity to visit the national museum.
The National Museum of Stockholm originates in the art collection of King Gustav III, nicknamed the opera king. His appetite for art and opera enlightened Sweden with fine art from Southern Europe.
While initially popular and inspired by Voltaire, he was an autocrat and rolled back many of his early reforms. He introduced strict censorship and staged a false Russian attack on Finland, leading to a short and expensive war. Which eventually led to his death, assassinated by disgruntled noblemen at a masquerade ball in the opera.
Anyhow, this is how Stockholm ended up with a fine collection of paintings and sculptures from 1500 to 1900.
I do enjoy naturalistic 19th century landscape paintings, I do enjoy history, and I do enjoy art that invites you to explore further than the initial impression. So I was not disappointed.
Happy Easter
In today’s world of politics, crises and utilitarian money worship, it was nice to immerse myself in more playful experiences for a while.
So if you happen to visit Stockholm this Easter, hereby a couple of stops added to my list of recommendations published previously.
I wish you a happy and playful Easter.