By: Natanya Faitelson, to Museum Spotlight Europe (March 2022)
Stockholm’s new museum, Vrak – Museum of Wrecks, displays preserved, wooden wrecks from the Baltic sea. Under a year old, Vrak – Museum of Wrecks is a finalist for Sweden’s exhibition of the year 2021 award.
Opened in September 2021, the Vrak aims to educate visitors about the Baltic wrecks, transforming visitors “into maritime archaeologists in a deep dive among algae, shipwrecks and depictions of objects that still rest on the seafloor.” Sweden’s maritime history is rich. Visit the Vrak’s sister museum in Stockholm, the Vasa Museum. In close proximity to each other, visitors can thoroughly immerse themselves in Sweden’s rich maritime history.
The Vrak’s virtual exhibit, Sea of Memories, introduces the shipwrights, geo-political conflicts, and culture surrounding each ship. These researched details enrich Vrak’s story with context, purpose and history. The creativity of this exhibit delves into the Vrak’s emphasis on storytelling, an element that leaves visitors entertained.
The storytelling of Scandinavian history through the archeological study of shipwrecks permits visitors to learn about diplomatic relationships within the Nordic-Baltic Eight (NB8). The Divided Sea exhibit gives visitors a look into these relationships through piecing together discoveries made by marine archeologists. In this exhibit, view authentic photographs and clues found in the wreckages that have given contemporary archeologists a new look into each wreck’s unique history.
The Resande Man exhibit showcases a shipwreck from the year 1660. The Resande Man (Traveling Man) sank during a storm, while on a diplomatic voyage to Poland. The exhibit recounts a survivor’s story on Resande Man before it sank in Stockholm’s southern archipelago.
The Assignment exhibit focuses on maritime archaeology in Sweden. This interactive exhibit allows visitors to become a marine archaeologist for the day. The Assignment captures the attention of both children and adults, as it provides activities that teach about humans’ environmental impact.
Lastly, The Epilogue showcases the history of maritime archeology which “enables breathtaking time travel.” Time traveling back to the Stone Age with the Tybrind Vig shipwreck, the Vrak explores what happened above the Baltic Sea waters thousands of years ago.
The Vrak – Museum of Wrecks details the history of several preserved wooden treasures, celebrating the discoveries of maritime archeology. In the end, the Vrak’s mind-blowing exhibits and history proves that underwater, however unlikely it may be, might just be the perfect environment to find incredible treasures.
Photo Credits: Image by SMTM.
