Drill Hall

Look at that large yellow building stretching along the waterfront. In front of you stands the Exercishuset, a magnificent yellow structure built between 1851 and 1853 by architect Fredrik Blom. This emblematic Stockholm color dates back to the 18th century, when Swedish architects were inspired by the yellow-brick palaces they admired during their travels in Southern Europe. Originally, this “Drill Hall” served as an exercise hall for the Swedish Navy. Sailors trained here in handling cannons and practiced gymnastics. The building has had many lives: in 1958, it became the first home of the renowned Moderna Museet, which revolutionized contemporary art with interactive exhibitions. Today, the Exercishuset houses ArkDes, in the section located a bit further along. ArkDes is Sweden’s national center for architecture and design, home to four million objects tracing the development of modern Sweden. The Archipelago Foundation, Skärgårdsstiftelsen, which manages the 40 nature reserves of the Stockholm archipelago, also has its offices in this historic complex, particularly in the building right in front of you. You may have noticed while passing that just behind the large yellow ArkDes building once stood the entrance to the Bergrummet, a vast underground shelter carved into the rock. In 2017, it became home to the Stockholm Toy Museum, showcasing Tidö’s impressive private collection of toys and comic books. This unusual and fascinating place sadly closed its doors in 2021, but the entrance remains visible as a reminder of this unique chapter in the history of Skeppsholmen Island. And the blue-green domed building you see rising above the Drill Hall belongs to Skeppsholmen Church. Inaugurated in 1842 by architect Fredrik Blom, this neoclassical church features an octagonal plan and a central dome reminiscent of the Pantheon in Rome. While once a place of worship, today it mainly hosts concerts and cultural events.