Discover Umeå: Art, Culture and Science

Anyone choosing Umeå for a trip combining art, history and active pursuits can get to know the city through a wide range of experiences. International contemporary art, regional culture, science and paths along the Ume River each offer a different focus. This makes it possible to plan the trip around your own interests without reducing Umeå to just one aspect.

Art and History in Umeå

Bildmuseet is located at the Konstnärligt campus, a pleasant five-minute walk from the centre of Umeå. It is one of Sweden’s leading art galleries for international contemporary art. For visitors who want to give their stay a cultural focus, it is therefore an important point of reference. The open-air museum Gammlia offers a different way to explore regional history. It belongs to Västerbottens museum and comprises around 30 buildings that were relocated there from various places in Västerbotten. Gammlia also has three Sámi settlement areas: one South Sámi, one Forest Sámi and one North Sámi.

The Kvinnohistoriskt museum also has its own particular focus. It is Sweden’s first museum of women’s history and tells the story of the past from a perspective that gives space to voices previously excluded. Väven, by contrast, is a platform for culture and experiences in Umeå. Anyone interested in music history will find one of the world’s largest privately owned guitar collections in central Umeå at Guitars – The Museum.

Science, Sculptures and Shared Experiences

For families and anyone who enjoys exploring things for themselves, Curiosum is Umeå University’s science centre. There, children and adults can explore, experience and discover science and technology together. Visitors can try exciting experiments, programme, get creative and play games. Curiosum also includes a large dome theatre with a 360° screen. In addition to museums dedicated to art and history, Umeå therefore offers a place where discovering things together is the main focus.

Another cultural stop is Umedalens Skulpturpark. Its permanent collection comprises 43 sculptures, and admission is free. This makes the park an option for travellers who want to experience art outdoors and do not want to spend their entire day indoors.

Cycle Paths, the Ume River and the Route to the Nature Reserve

Umeå has 220 kilometres of cycle paths. Anyone who enjoys exploring the city actively can incorporate this extensive infrastructure into their travel plans. The riverside promenades along the Ume River are ideal for discovering the area around central Umeå. For a further connection with nature, the Tavelsjöleden trail leads from Broparken in central Umeå into a nature reserve. Alongside exhibitions, museums and science, this provides a choice of routes with different characteristics.

When choosing a hotel in Umeå, you can therefore first decide which focus should define your trip: international contemporary art, regional and Sámi history, scientific experiences with children, sculptures, or activity along the river and on the cycle paths. For a broader comparison, you can also select Holmsund, Sävar and Tavelsjö. Umeå itself combines cultural themes with tangible opportunities to get to know the city and its surroundings in different ways.

Back to the main travel overview: Umeå.