Southern Sweden » Smålands Museum - Sweden's Museum of Glass

Växjö is home to Sweden’s oldest provincial museum: Smålands Museum - Sweden’s Museum of Glass. The museum lies in the heart of the Kingdom of Crystal and is thus the natural hub of Swedish glass and glassmaking traditions. The exhibition “Six Centuries of Swedish Glass” illustrates the history of Swedish glass and shows examples of modern art glass produced both at glassworks and in small-scale studios. The glass collection is the source of the museum’s international reputation. In addition to glass of all types, the museum’s collections includes objects of cultural historical significance, visual art, textiles, church furnishings, archaeological finds and agricultural history. The separate numismatic collection is the museum’s oldest. Temporary exhibitions are mounted on design, glass, visual art and cultural history.

Smålands museum is the only provincial museum in Sweden that operates its own ship. Casting off from its home port adjacent to the castle ruins of Kronoberg , the steamer Thor, built in 1887 and still in active service, plies the waters of Lake Helgasjön during the summer months. Sweden's southernmost lock, at Åby, was completed the same year the Thor was built. The lock is still in use, and a trip through it on the Thor is a memory for life. The steamer Thor is a must for lovers of steam power. Charters and scheduled passenger tours are available.