Liljevalchs

An art hall on Djurgården with free entry every Monday, and home of Vårsalongen

About the museum

Liljevalchs is an art hall (konsthall) on Djurgården. The City of Stockholm owns it. It shows contemporary art in changing exhibitions. It does not have a permanent collection that you walk through.

The hall opened in March 1916. It is now one of the best-known places for art in Sweden. The museum has an old building and a newer building, Liljevalchs+.

Free every Monday

Entry to Liljevalchs is free on every Monday. The museum says this on its own FAQ page. Visit Stockholm says the same: Liljevalchs is one of the museums that open on Mondays, and it is free for everyone on that day.

I did not find a list of exceptions. Check the museum’s website before you go on a Monday that is a public holiday. Visitors under 18 always enter free, on every day.

On a free Monday the hall is open from 11:00 to 17:00. If you want a longer evening, go on a Tuesday or Thursday. The hall is open until 20:00 on those days, but you pay the normal price.

Vårsalongen: the spring salon

Vårsalongen (the Spring Salon) is the most popular event at Liljevalchs. It started in 1921 and had its 100-year anniversary in 2021. Visit Stockholm calls it Sweden’s largest jury-selected art exhibition. Every spring, many people in Stockholm go to see it.

The idea is simple. Any artist who is 18 or older and lives in Sweden or Sápmi can send in work. A jury chooses which works go on show. The show has paintings, sculpture, video and prints. It mixes known names with people who show their work for the first time. All works are for sale, so you can buy an original piece.

Visit Stockholm gives these numbers for a normal year: about 300 works in 13 halls, and about 100,000 visitors. In 2023 a record 4,135 artists applied. Many of the artists in Vårsalongen also sell postcards and other small products in the museum shop.

Vårsalongen 2027

• Application. The deadline was 1 October 2026. It is closed.
• Jury. The musician Veronica Maggio, the artist Olof Marsja and the writer and artist Kayo Mpoyi. Joanna Sandell Wright, the director of Liljevalchs, chairs the jury.
• Answer to artists. The jury sends its decisions in mid-November 2026.
• Exhibition. The show runs from mid-February to the end of April 2027. I did not find the exact dates. Look at the museum’s website in winter.

The building

The architect Carl Bergsten won the competition for the art hall in 1913. He combined classical ideas with modern concrete building methods. At the main entrance you see stone sculpture. Above the door, a carved winged figure looks down at you. Wikipedia says that the sculptor Carl Milles made the sculpture at the main entrance.

When I visited, a large banner hung on the left of the entrance. It had blue and black squares in a spiral. The red-brown walls have tall windows with thin dark frames. A glass lift stands next to the steps.

Accessibility

This section follows the museum’s own Swedish accessibility page, and adds what I saw when I visited. If you have a question or a special need, call the museum on 08-508 31 330 before you come.

Getting in

All visitors can use the main entrance. The museum says that it has a ramp that a wheelchair can use. In my photo I see stone steps with handrails and a glass lift next to them. I did not see the ramp, so ask the staff where it is.

Visitors who need a lift can also use a separate entrance at Liljevalchs+, Falkenbergsgatan 3. It is at street level, directly from the pavement, with no thresholds. A taxi or special transport service (färdtjänst) should stop in front of the main entrance, which is the shortest way in for all visitors.

Lifts

The old building has a lift with a door opener between its two floors. The museum gives these measurements: 305 × 105 cm, and a door width of 110 cm. In Liljevalchs+ the lifts have automatic doors and go between all levels. The panel at the lift that I saw says 1200 kg or 12 persons.

Ground level: cloakroom, lockers and toilets

The cloakroom with lockable lockers is at ground level, one flight down from the entrance level. Several toilets are there too. The lockers are made of light wood, and each has a number.

The museum has four toilets for visitors with reduced mobility. There is one at entrance level and one at ground level, in both the old and the new building. At ground level I saw a row of toilet doors, and one door had a sign with a wheelchair and a baby changing symbol.

Aids and help

• Floors and rooms. There are no thresholds between the exhibition rooms.
• Stairs. The steps are marked, and handrails run along the stairs.
• Loans. You can borrow a wheelchair and a folding stool.
• Hearing. The hearing system for guided tours and presentations has both headphones and a T-loop.
• Personal help. Your personal guide is the art host (konstvärd) in the galleries.

Allergies and strong smells

The old building normally has no green plants. On opening days (vernissage) flowers can stand in the entrance. The shop in the new building can have green plants and the smell of soap. Call 08-508 31 330 if this is a problem for you. Dogs, cats and other pets are not allowed. The museum’s FAQ lists service animals as the exception.

Exhibitions

When I wrote this article (October 2026), the museum showed Ylva Snöfrid: The House of the Muses. It runs from 21 June 2026 to 10 January 2027. The next exhibition is Sara-Vide Ericson: DRIFT, from 13 November 2026 to 28 February 2027. The program changes, so check the museum’s website for later shows.

Restaurant and shop

The restaurant Blå Porten is a classic and much-loved place. It has opened again after a renovation, with seats outside and inside. In the new building, Liljevalchs+, you find Blå+, with a vegetarian menu. The museum has no lunch room for packed food.

The shop sells the museum’s own products, for example catalogues, art puzzles and napkins. You can buy tickets at both entrances.

Rules in the galleries

• Put large bags and backpacks in a locker. You can take a small bag, up to A4 size, into the galleries.
• The floors are fragile. You cannot take ice spikes or walking poles into the galleries. Lock them in a locker. If your shoes have fixed spikes, bring indoor shoes to change into.
• Do not eat or drink in the exhibition rooms.
• You can take photos for private use. Do not use flash or a tripod. Professional photographers must ask for permission.

The photo on this page was taken by Zayera Khan during a visit to the museum, and is her own property. Please do not reuse it without permission. Hours, prices and exhibitions can change. Check the museum’s website before you go.