There are many things you might expect to see on a train platform while waiting for the subway, but a quote from evolutionary biologist Stephen Jay Gould—“Life is wonderful,” or in Swedish, “Livet är underbart”—isn’t necessarily one of them. And yet, Stockholm’s metro is full of such unexpected delights.
Formally known as the Stockholms tunnelbana, this metro also goes by another, even more appropriate name: the “World’s Longest Art Exhibition.” Since 1957, Stockholm has offered stations-as-canvases to roughly 150 artists, and today, more than 90% of its subway stations boast public art. The results range from the bright, beautiful rainbows of Stadion, which have become a beloved symbol of Pride, to the rough-hewn, blood red walls of Solna centrum, which resemble a goth giant’s man cave.
But the art serves another function, too: navigation. “It’s beneficial for children who are just starting to travel on their own, for those who have difficulties with language and reading, and for those of us who are lost in our headphones and phones and can quickly recognize which station we’ve arrived at based on how it looks outside the window,” explains Emma Sahlman, press officer at Region Stockholm.
Follow our route —outlined below and in this map—to get a taste of the incredible art on view in the Stockholm metro.
Kungsträdgården
Start at Kungsträdgården, at one end of the Blue Line. Of particular note are the large statutes keeping guard, including a traditional Nordic “wildman”; classical sculptures; and an archaeological site (featuring objects from Stockholms Stadsmuseet—i.e., the city museum, cleverly arranged as if in mid-excavation). Also, keep an eye out for the unique moss, mineral formations, and tiny spiders that live in Kungsträdgården and pretty much nowhere else in Stockholm.
Rådhuset
An excellent example of Stockholm’s cave stations, in which blasted rock has been incorporated into the station design, Rådhuset has striking reddish-orange walls. Dominant and monochromatic as the walls are, make sure to look closely—painter Sigvard Olsson embedded things like giant construction boots into the ceiling and walls to give a sense of things sinking down into the station.
Artist Lasse Lindqvist painted his aluminum sheets at Stadshagen such that the scenes change as you walk past, switching from track to field events, for example. One end of the station features winter sports, while the other displays summer sports.
Solna Centrum
Solna Centrum resembles the entrance to the underworld. Up close, however, what reads as dramatic intensity is actually the night sky falling over a forest. Painters Anders Åberg and Karl-Olov Björk portrayed scenes from rural life, such as a person picking berries, as well as images of environmental degradation. Look out for the elk diorama, too.
Näckrosen
“Näckrosen” means “water lily.” Painter Lizzie Olsson Arle opted to bring nature, including legit boulders as well as framed flowers, into her work at this station. Unrelated to the nature theme are props from the Swedish film industry—e.g., Greta Garbo’s first contract. Another great photo op is the rainbow escalator.
Hallonbergen wins the award for most charming station. Artists Elis Eriksson and Gösta Wallmark relied on drawings from real kids, including their own, to decorate it. They streamlined the color palette, but opted to keep various misspellings.
Switch to the Green Line at Fridhemsplan by walking through a tunnel adorned with cloudy swathes of green. The rest of the station features nautical art as well as a graffiti-like mural.
Thorildsplan
While most of Stockholm’s stations are underground, Thorildsplan is aboveground. The warren of sidewalks, staircases, and other infrastructure in the immediate neighborhood resembled a video game to artist Lars Arrhenius, so he adorned the station with old-school game iconography.
To further set off sculptor Gun Gordillo’s light art affixed to the ceiling, the walls and floor of Hötorget were left unadorned—and unchanged since the station opened in the 1950s. Light from over 100 neon tubes bounces off the retro, light-blue bathroom tiles. The station makes a brief appearance in Madonna’s “Ray of Light” video.
Slussen
At Slussen, switch to the Red Line toward Mörby centrum. The station has permanent art—a colorful abstraction in plaster and lacquer called “Opponer” by Sune Fogde—but until recently, the real draw was a series of photo collages by Eric Magassa, which overlay stylized images atop snapshots from the artist’s family and friends.
Östermalmstorg
Although inscribed in concrete, the art at Östermalmstorg has an effervescent, haphazard quality. Nevertheless, Siri Derkert’s work reflects a deep commitment to environmentalism and feminism, areas in which this prominent 20th-century Swedish sculptor was way ahead of her time.
Stadion
When it was inaugurated in 1973, the art at Stadion—with sky-blue walls and jolly rainbows—was meant to make the cave station seem less scary. Artists Enno Hallek and Åke Pallarp also wanted to harken back to the 1912 Olympics, which took place nearby. Since then, however, the area has become an epicenter for Stockholm’s annual Pride celebration, with the station’s huge rainbow a year-round symbol of joy.
Station art often reflects what’s above or nearby, as at Tekniska högskolan, home to the KTH Royal Institute of Technology. Inspired by science and technology, painter Lennart Mörk’s installations include an apple falling from the ceiling (hello, Isaac Newton), multiple polyhedra, and a large wing meant to invoke Leonardo da Vinci’s theories of flight.
Universitetet
’Grammers love the white stick figures adorning the green exit doors at Universitetet, and you can definitely have some fun posing near them. Don’t neglect the station’s tile art, though, which celebrates biologist Carl Linnaeus and other scientific luminaries like Omar Khayyam and the aforementioned Stephen Jay Gould via quotes, annotated scientific notes, and illustrations. Who says riding the subway can’t make you smarter?
Bergshamra features runic inscriptions incised into the subway walls, a reminder of Sweden’s Viking past. Tourists, commuters, explorers—we all share the common experience of going, whether that’s traveling beyond the horizon or to another station.
T-Centralen
Finish your tour at T-Centralen, where the Red, Blue, and Green lines converge. Sculptor Per Olof Ultvedt utilized blue and white to bring calm to the station, one of the first to feature art. He also used silhouettes to depict the people who helped build it.
Stockholm City Station
If you’re not too subwayed-out, follow the signs at T-Centralen to Stockholm City station (the commuter station), where you can see “Ostra Hallonplaneten,” a digital installation in purples and reds by Mikael Pauli, and “Pendlarkatedralen,” a multipart installation by sculptor Karin Lindh, which lends the commute elegance and dignity.