The first museum we visited was Vasamuseet, where a nearly intact, salvaged 17th century warship is the one and only subject.

Poorly designed and rushed to completion, the ship sank in 1628 on its maiden voyage less than a mile from where it was launched. Too top heavy, the ship listed almost immediately after the crew raised the first sails. Some doors on the lower gundeck were open and water began to pour in faster than it could be pumped out.

The museum is dedicated to the long-term preservation of the ship, and some of the exhibits explain the scientific and engineering challenges involved in keeping the centuries-old wood from decomposing into mush.

We spent over two hours here and read almost every single placard we could. This museum was one of the highlights of the trip.

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