Medelhavsmuseet, Stockholm

A celebration of the art and history of the Mediterranean, the Medelhavsmuseet is an exquisite location with Italian style reminiscent of the Renaissance. Visitors will be enchanted by the immense collection of Etruscan, Roman, Egyptian, Greek, Cypriot and Roman art and artifacts which fill the museum’s rooms. For an added treat, visitors must not miss the Gold Room, which has a broad assortment of gold artifacts from Cyrus, Greece and the Near East.

The collection includes pieces commonly worn by men and women during life and after death. Many of the pieces were acquired from the private collections of art collectors like Georg von Békésy and Carl Kempe. The Leventis Gallery houses antiquities of the Island of Cyprus. Mostly from archaeological finds, many of the items in the collection date back 7,000 years.

The Near Eastern Collection focuses mainly on objects from the Bronze Age. The exhibit is one of the most immense collections of Persian bronzes in the world. The Islamic Exhibition offers a selection of art and artifacts, which date from between 600 CE and 1900 CE. The room has a large selection of metal, ceramic and tile pieces to be explored, while the Egyptian exhibit concentrates on the life of the Pharaohs from 3000 BCE to the Common Era.

Why You Should Visit:
The building itself (former bank) is worth a visit and having ancient jewelry displayed in the former safe is a very nice touch.
The mummies in the cellar are another highlight, and the presentation work gives visitors the impression of going down in the burial chamber of a pyramid.

Tip:
If you are in a hurry, take the Egyptian collection first; otherwise, go through the other sections first and keep this (the star attraction) to last.
Don't miss the Baghdad Café upstairs for some Middle Eastern fares and delicacies among authentic pieces of art dating ancient times.