Things to do in Dalarna County, Dalarna County: The Best History Museums

The Zorn House is one of the most well-known artist homes in Sweden. Built and decorated around the turn of last century by Anders and Emma Zorn, it remains today almost untouched since their time. Already in 1886, Zorn had acquired a vacant lot near Mora church and moved a small wooden house to the property, which became the nucleus for the couple’s Mora home. Designed by the artist himself, the structure combined local timberwork traditions with the architecture of English houses and Zorn’s conception of Viking-era dwellings – simultaneously rustic and refined, grand and cozy. Artistic craftwork from Dalarna mixed boldly with items of great value acquired from abroad: woven tapestries, silver pieces, antique sculptures, and paintings by old masters. Behind the rather discreet facade was a home equipped with every conceivable luxury: refrigeration, stainless-steel kitchen counters, central heating, hot and cold running water, even a vacuum cleaner.

Ornasstugan is a large medieval timber guesthouse built in the beginning of the 16th Century. It was built by a wealthty man who was part owner of the Falu copper mine. Ornasstugan is the second oldest museum in Sweden, estblished in the 1750s to commemorate the dramatic visit of a young nobleman, Gustav Vasa, who was on the run from the Danish king. Gustav decided to come to Dalarna to seek help to assemble a resistance army to try to wrest control from the Danish who were in power of Sweden. The owner of Ornas promised to help and allowed Gustav to sleep in the guesthouse. However, the owner was more interested in the reward money offered for Gustav´s capture. Gustav had to escape and did so with help from the wife of Ornas, through the toilet. Gustav Vasa would later become the first king of an independent Sweden. The stories of his adventures in Dalarna in 1520 have been told at Ornasstugan for 500 years. Next to the museum is a tasty café and wounderful view of the lake Runn.