On Stage

The main exhibition, On Stage, focuses on artistic creativity and craftsmanship within the professional performing arts. We present highlights from dance, music, theatre and puppet shows throughout Sweden. Visitors are invited to experience a unique collection of artifacts, interspersed with areas that encourage individual creativity. A costume from Louis XIV's court ballet may be found, as naturally, alongside rapper Erik Lundin's hand written lyrics, as a dolls house from a production by Suzanne Osten.

Stagecraft’s craft

Craft, the practice and development of artistic skills, are the foundation of the performing arts. The On Stage exhibition examines the arts of creating songs and instruments, a dancer's intense body practice, and the actor's extensive working processes. The exhibition emphasises the expressions and professions that constitute the performing arts. The visitor encounters stories from make-up artists, puppet makers, choreographers, songwriters, and many others who work with performance.

Interactivity and objects

On Stage will also place the visitor in the spotlight - encouraging them to explore the performing arts through their own creativity. What happens when you place your face behind a mask? How does it feel to stand, face to face, with a dancer from another century, in exactly the same pose? Or to experience making music with samples from the museum's instrument collections? No matter who you are, or your previous experience; you are offered the opportunity to explore your own creativity.

Where are the limits?

On Stage also focuses on ideals, on breaking new ground and on challenging norms. What is a stage? Who has access to it? We encounter groups, productions, and individuals who, in different ways, have challenged and expanded the limits of what theatre, dance and music can be.