At Stockholm‘s Fotografiska, you go for the photography – but equally compelling are the panoramic views from the museum’s second-floor bistro. What was once Stockholm‘s original customs house on the docks of Stadsgården was re-opened in May 2010 as one of the world’s largest repositories of contemporary photography.
Built between 1906 and 1910, the historic Art Nouveau building that houses Fotografiska offers nearly 60,000 square feet of exhibition space. The building’s brick facade has been landmarked, while the former customs house interiors were renovated at a cost of nearly $40 million.
Helmut Newton photo of Catherine Deneuve © MRNY
Fotografiska‘s mission is to exhibit world-renowned photographers and particularly those who have yet to be introduced to the Swedish public. Previous exhibitions at Fotografiska have featured the works of Annie Leibovitz, Albert Watson, Helmut Newton, Robert Mapplethorpe, Gus Van Sant, Christopher Makos, as well as exhibitions titled “Fashion!” and “Northern Women in Chanel”.
© MRNY
As for that second-floor bar and restaurant, which is called The Fotografiska Bistro, Chefs Paul Svensson and Peter Jälksäter are former members of the Swedish national culinary team and their forte is vegetable-based Swedish regional fare. That said, the shrimp salad is as fresh and delicious as a fisherman’s morning catch – and a reminder why this dish is as beloved in Sweden as a salade Niçoise is in France.
© MRNY
Still, it’s those views from those massive floor-to-ceiling windows that are as captivating as the art and the food. What were once the loading hatches used by the original customs house are now windows onto the splendor of Stockholm‘s mesmerizing maritime beauty. With views across the water toward the sylvan island of Skeppsholmen and Stockholm‘s amusement park, Tivoli Gröna Lund, and with boats of all sorts traversing the waterways, it’s easy to linger at your table long after coffee.
In the summer, Fotografiska‘s outdoor terrace is perfect for a glass of bubbly – and particularly as the sun sets, leaving Stockholm a shimmering city of light.
© MRNY
Additional Information: Click here for MRNY slideshow of Stockholm.
