Scan Magazine | Special Theme | Scandinavian Culture Special – Sweden
architecture, and their thinking around sustainability. It will be open from 5 March to 13 September. The next exhibition, opening in the summer, is a playful, interactive experience for both adults and children. Visitors can take part in a range of activities related to the ongoing exhibitions, such as talks, workshops, and after work events called Äfterwork. Afterwards, why not visit the shop with a unique range of IKEA products, newly produced as well as vintage, souvenirs and IKEA miniatures. And re-energise in the museum restaurant, where food is prepared from scratch and the menu is based around the famous meatballs, including everything from salmon balls to veggie balls.
IKEA’s founder Ingvar Kamprad ca. 1968-1970.
Connections: Älmhult is a small town in the middle of the deep, Swedish forest, but with a convenient two-hour direct train connection from Copenhagen airport and 3.5 hours by fast-speed train from Stockholm. The closest airport, in Växjö, is less than an hour’s drive away.
Visit the IKEA Museum and discover The Story of IKEA. Open daily, 10am to 6pm.
IKEA Hotell, an unknown gem Just across the street from IKEA Museum is the only IKEA Hotell in the world. IKEA’s founder, Kamprad, had been in America and was inspired by the motel concept. IKEA Motel opened for shop customers to stay overnight, which eventually developed into a unique IKEA Hotell, welcoming guests from all over the world. All 254 hotel rooms, public areas and meeting rooms are, of course, furnished with IKEA products. The restaurant serves a Scandinavian menu, based on produce from Småland, and there are plenty of events such as live music. “We want to be a home away from home and a meeting place for all guests visiting, working or living in Älmhult,” says Malin Lundgren, manager at IKEA Hotell. And Älmhult has plenty more to discover: for instance, nearby Råshult, birthplace of the famous botanist Carl von Linnaeus, who formalised the system of naming organisms. There is a lot to explore in the close vicinity in terms of design, and neither Malmö nor Copenhagen in Denmark is far. Welcome to Småland and Älmhult, the heart of IKEA.
Sustain Able Voices is a collaboration with the Swedish Society of Crafts and Design.
www.IKEAmuseum.com Facebook: IKEAmuseum Instagram: @IKEAmuseum
Issue 134 | March 2020 | 73