Agne Beijer. Photo: Beata Bergström

Sign from the 1920ies

Our collections of objects are now - together with the collections from Marionettmuseet - part of the new Musik- och Teatermuseet (our library, archive and phototeque are part of the new Musik- och teaterbiblioteket). A new museum for music and the performing arts has been created. However, the idea is not new: during the World Exhibition in Stockholm 1897 one of the pavillions was dedicated to music and theatre. This small exhibition was inspirational in the founding of a museum for music and theatre history. This museum - eventually known as Musikmuseet - was opened in 1901.  Now the original vision from 1897 has been realised - music and the performing arts has a new, common home.

Sveriges Teatermuseum was until 2001 known as Drottningholms teatermuseum. The explanation for this is simple: the founding of the museum is linked to the theatre historian Agne Beijer's ”rediscovery” of the more or less forgotten court theatre at Drottningholm palace.

The theatre was built in 1766 and was designed by the architect Carl Fredrik Adelcrantz. During the reign of Gustav III (1771-1792) the theatre was frequently used for performances and other activities. The theatre gradually fell into disuse and served for many years as a storehouse for furniture.

After Beijer had found the neglected building during the winter of 1921 he initiated an extensive restoration of the theatre. The stage machinery was equipped with new ropes, the wax candles were replaced with electrical light and the sets and decorations were cleaned. On August 19 1922 the curtain once again rose at Gustav III:s theatre. In connection to the reopening a theatrical history exhibition was inaugurated - the beginning of what was to become Drottningholms teatermuseum.

Initially the activity of the museum was focused on documentation regarding 16th century theatre. However, an increasing number of documents from later periods were donated to the museum and Beijer recognized their historical value. He therefore organized an exhibition showing 17th century material, something he was widely criticized for. In Beijer's opinion the museum ought to develop into a national centre for theatre history with the aim to collect and make available all kinds of material concerning Swedish theatre history from it's early beginnings up to present day.

In 1935 the organization Drottningholmsteaterns Vänner was established in order to support both the performances that were being given at the theatre and the museum. Thanks to their efforts the museum's collections of books, objects and documents grew rapidly. In 1939 the museum was housed in a three-room flat at Linnégatan 7. These premises were eventually outgrown and in 1971 the museum relocated to the newly built Filmhuset. The museum lasted 30 years at this address but in 2001 the time had come for yet another move, this time to the museum's current location in Gäddviken. In connection to this the museum took a new name: Sveriges Teatermuseum. From 1945 through 2009 the museum was administrated by a foundation, Stiftelsen Drottningholms teatermuseum. The foundation continues to administrate Drottningholms Slottsteater.