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Djurgarden is Stockholm's nearest large expanse of park. A royal hunting ground throughout the sixteenth to eighteenth centuries, it is actually two distinct park areas separated by the water of Djurgardsbrunnsviken, which freezes over in winter to provide some central skating. You could walk to the park from Central Station, but it's quite a hike: take the bus instead - #44 from Karlaplan or #47 from Nybroplan - or in summer, the ferry from Nybroplan, or year round from Slussen on Skeppsbron (Mon-Fri 7.40am-7pm, Sat & Sun 9am-7pm; every 15min). From the northeast of the park are excellent views from 155-metre-high Kaknas TV tower (daily: May-Aug 9am-10pm; rest of year 10am-9pm; 25kr), Scandinavia's tallest building. South over Djurgardsbron are numerous museums. Palatial Nordiska Museet (Tues-Sun 10am-9pm; 60kr) is a good attempt to represent Swedish cultural history in an accessible fashion, with a particularly good Sami section. On the ground floor of the cathedral-like interior is Carl Milles' statue of Gustav Vasa, the sixteenth-century king who drove out the Danes. Close by, the Vasa Museet (daily: mid-June to mid-Aug 9.30am-7pm; rest of year 10am-5pm, until 8pm on Wed; 60kr) is an essential stop, displaying the Vasa warship which sank in Stockholm harbour after just twenty minutes of its maiden voyage in 1628. Preserved in mud for over 333 years, the ship was raised along with 12,000 objects in 1961, and now forms the centrepiece of a startling, purpose-built hall on the water's edge. Walkways bring you nose to nose with the cannon hatches and restored decorative relief, exhibition halls display the retrieved bits and pieces, while films and videos explain the social and political life of the period - all with excellent English notes and regular English-language guided tours .
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