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Museum · Uppsala, Uppsala
Gustavianum
The museum of Uppsala University, in a 1620 building with a dome: the anatomical theatre of 1663, the Augsburg cabinet of curiosities, instruments of Celsius and Viking finds.
Illustrative images. The pictures in this guide are illustrations based on the real place, not photographs, and may differ from it.
Discover
About Gustavianum
The Gustavianum is the oldest surviving building of Uppsala University, built in the 1620s with funds donated by King Gustavo II Adolfo. Today it is the university museum and tells the story of science and teaching in the city.
The highlight is the anatomical theatre, installed beneath the dome in 1662 and 1663 by Olof Rudbeck, a professor of medicine. It is a narrow, steep wooden space with circular benches around the table where bodies were dissected, lit by the dome. Students watched standing. Rudbeck also founded the city's first botanical garden, which later became the Jardim de Lineu.
Another famous piece is the Augsburg Kunstkammer, an ebony cabinet from the 17th century, full of secret drawers, stones, shells, instruments and curiosities, a gift from the German city to the king. The museum displays instruments of Anders Celsius, the astronomer who created the temperature scale, and the story of the university's scientists. On the antiquities floor, finds from the boat graves at Valsgärde, near Uppsala, show helmets, swords and objects from the pre‑Viking and Viking eras.
The museum also has exhibitions on ancient Egypt and classical collections.
Before you go
Practical information
Cidade Turismo reviews its information regularly, but something may have changed. Check with the place before planning your trip.
How much time to set aside
From 1 to 1h30.
Best time
Any time of year. The museum usually closes on Mondays; check before you go. There are fewer people in the morning.
How to get there
It is opposite the cathedral, a 10‑minute walk from Uppsala station.
Tip
Go straight up to the anatomical theatre, which is at the top of the building and sometimes has a queue to enter. Then go down to the Augsburg cabinet and the Viking room.
Get your questions answered
Frequently asked questions about Gustavianum
What is the anatomical theatre?
A wooden room beneath the dome, built in 1662 and 1663, where professors dissected bodies before students, who watched standing on the surrounding tiers.
Does the Gustavianum have Viking objects?
Yes. There are finds from the boat burials at Valsgärde, including helmets, swords and objects from the pre-Viking and Viking eras.
Is the Gustavianum far from the cathedral?
No. It's on the same square, across the street, and you can visit both one after the other.