Millesgården (Lidingö, outside Stockholm): Sweden's foremost sculptor, Carl Milles (1875-1955), lived here and created a sculpture garden by the sea that now has been turned into a museum. Milles relied heavily on mythological themes in his work, and many of his best-known pieces are displayed here.

Nationalmuseum (National Museum of Art) (Stockholm): One of the oldest museums in the world (it celebrated its 200th birthday in 1992), the National Museum houses Sweden's treasure trove of rare paintings and sculpture. From Rembrandt to Rubens, and from Bellini to van Gogh, a panoply of European art unfolds before your eyes. In addition to paintings, you'll find antique porcelain, furniture, and clocks.

Vasamuseet (Royal Warship Vasa) (Stockholm): In the Djurgården, this 17th-century man-of-war, which is now a museum, is a popular tourist attraction. The Vasa is the world's oldest known complete ship. It capsized and sank on its maiden voyage in 1628 before horrified onlookers. The ship was salvaged in 1961 and has been carefully restored; 97% of its 700 original sculptured decorative motifs were retrieved.

Göteborgs Konstmuseum (Gothenburg): This is the city's leading art museum, a repository of modern paintings that's strong on French Impressionists, including van Gogh and Bonnard. Modern artists such as Picasso and Edvard Munch also are represented, as are sculptures by Milles.

Åjtte (Jokkmokk): In true Lapp country, this is the best repository of artifacts of the Sami culture. Integrating nature with culture, the museum is the largest of its kind in the world. It depicts how the Lapps lived and struggled for survival in a harsh terrain; the houses they lived in and the animals and weapons needed for their livelihood are featured.