Scandinavian Open-Air Museums

A question every cruise traveler asks at each port is, "What should I go see when I get off the ship?" Most ports of call have plenty of sights, and a Scandinavian cruise isn't any different. Here's a suggestion for those who want to get a unique glimpse of each country's past: Enjoy a nice walk, and don't be overpowered by the never-ending exhibits in a typical museum. Visit the open-air museums found in all the Baltic countries.

Finland has the Seurasaari, Sweden the Skansen, Denmark the Open-Air Museum, Norway the Norwegian Folk Museum, and Estonia the Tallinn Open-Air Museum. What they all have in common is that they are near or in each country's capital (a plus for those cruise stops) and each one is a collection of buildings mostly from the last three centuries taken from all over the country and re-erected in parks.

For most of their history, buildings in Scandinavia were made of wood and this was an attempt to save and protect them before they disappeared. Skansen (the oldest open-air museum in the world, built in 1891) has 150 buildings. It's a chance to sense living conditions centuries ago in a natural setting. In the Antti farmstead in the Seurasaari, you can walk around a complete environment with all of the original outbuildings intact. In the Town Quarter in Skansen enjoy what a Swedish town looked like in the mid 19^th century. Or visit a village from the time of Hans Christian Anderson near Copenhagen. Implements and furniture are displayed to form a complete picture of daily life.

But there's more. Around the houses and farmsteads are gardens and plots typical of the period. Historical interpreters in period costume greet guests and demonstrate domestic occupations such as weaving and spinning. Folk holidays are celebrated in the traditional manner and throughout the times the museums are open there are festivals and demonstrations of music and dancing.

Public transportation to reach many of these places is inexpensive as are the entry fees. In Denmark the museum is free. Compared to a ship's tour, an open-air museum visit is a real bargain. Naturally, you have to like this sort of thing. It may not be as unusual as one of the ice bars some places offer where you sip vodka in a room made of ice, but an open-air museum will definitely be a long-lasting memory.

You may not want to do all of them. There are plenty of other wonderful things to see and do in Scandinavia. But try at least one.