A Weekend in Sweden
As an architecture student, one of the main reasons that I wanted to study in Copenhagen was that Scandinavia is so well-known for design. My first impression of Scandinavian design (and cuisine) while growing up was most likely through IKEA. So, when I discovered that there is an IKEA museum in Sweden, I knew that I had to go.
When one of my friends studying abroad elsewhere in Europe began planning a visit to see me over her spring break, we began scheming. She was interested in doing a day or weekend trip outside of Copenhagen since she would have almost a week here. I had the perfect proposal: the IKEA museum. Luckily, she was on board.
The Journey Begins: Malmö
If we were going to Sweden, we had to hit Malmö on the way. After all, it's a classic day trip from Copenhagen, and I hadn't been yet. We got there on the train from Copenhagen Central Station, reaching Malmö in under an hour. Though the day we were there was a bit dreary and drizzling, we still had a lot of fun exploring. We had a few landmarks that we knew we wanted to see, but we also wanted plenty of time to wander around and stop by anything we thought was interesting. In addition to visiting the Malmö Castle (which includes the Art Museum, City Museum, and Museum of Natural History), a couple pretty squares, the windmill in Kungsparken (King's Park), and seeing the Turning Torso building, we visited various art galleries, souvenir shops, thrift stores, and even a candy store.
Onward to Älmhult
In the evening, we hopped back on the train to make our way further into Sweden. Our destination was Älmhult, the location of the first-ever IKEA store, and now home to the IKEA museum. Even better, an IKEA hotel had been built to accommodate people coming there to shop — and that's where we decided to stay, in order to be immersed in the full experience. When we arrived, it was already night. Even so, the IKEA signs served as beacons in the dark. We checked into the hotel, and settled into our room. Staying at the IKEA hotel came with major perks — namely, free entry to the museum and access to a large breakfast buffet — so we took full advantage the next day.
The IKEA Museum
Finally, it was time to explore the IKEA museum. We saw every exhibit, and I do believe that we read every sign in full. I especially enjoyed learning about IKEA's origins, seeing how they test the products, and wandering through the exhibit of furniture designs through the decades. Of course, I had to stop by the food court for a plate of (very affordable) Swedish meatballs.
Overall, it was a fantastic weekend trip! I thoroughly enjoyed Sweden, and I would absolutely recommend a stop at the IKEA museum to any fan of furniture and interior design.
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