Vasa promenades

The royal ship Vasa is one of Sweden’s most famous cultural treasures and attracts around 1.5 million visitors annually. However, the ship is in danger: after more than 60 years in the same cradle, the hull risks collapsing under its own weight. To secure its future, the Vasa Museum is spearheading the major initiative “Support the Vasa,” in which a new, custom-built steel structure will replace the current support system. But to succeed in this endeavor, more than technical expertise is needed. Just as with the salvage in 1961, broad public engagement and an understanding of the ship’s unique situation are required. That is why the Vasa Museum now wants to create the Vasa Walk—in collaboration with the Promenad app, the Royal Institute of Technology, and Musik på Slottet—an interactive audio walk that transports the story to the very settings where the Vasa’s history unfolded: Stockholm’s shores, harbors, and waters. With the help of narration, sound design, music, and research-based content, visitors will be able to follow the Vasa’s journey from its maiden voyage to today’s conservation efforts. The walk will serve as a way to spark curiosity and understanding of the challenges facing the ship, while also communicating current research in an accessible manner. With support from the Torsten Söderberg Foundation, this unique story can be made available to a broad audience in both Swedish and English, thereby contributing to the long-term effort to secure the Vasa’s future.