The history of the association
How it all began
In 1882, Georg Karlin, together with some assistants, founded a collection, which was taken over by the Cultural Historical Association for southern Sweden. The association was founded the same year by the Historical and Archaeological Association of the Skåne Landscapes and the Lund Dialect Associations. During the first years, the association had museum-like activities in several different locations in Lund.
The First House of Culture
In 1890, the property that is now called the Nobleman's House was purchased with a large residential house, pond, garden, and gazebo. The residential house was given a new Baroque facade, and a number of other buildings were moved to the area. Four of these were meant to tell about the old parliamentary system divided into nobility, clergy, burghers, and peasants. In 1892, Kulturen in Lund was inaugurated as Sweden's and the world's second open-air museum. The collections were displayed in the buildings, arranged according to different themes.
The Museum Grows
In the following years, the adjacent properties were purchased. The city blocks were built in stages from 1907-30. Today, the operations are based on large museum collections of both southern Swedish cultural-historical material and world culture. In the more than thirty cultural-historical buildings, exhibitions on cultural history, crafts, art, and design are displayed. Here, visitors can experience a unique world with programs, traditional celebrations, a seasonal café, and a nice playground. The operations also include archaeology, building preservation, and other commission work.
The Cultural Historical Society for Southern Sweden is a nonprofit organization where everyone can become a member!
Become a member
Do you want unlimited access to historical time travel, beautiful parks, and exciting exhibitions? By becoming a member, you get free entry to the Culture House for an entire year! It is the absolute best way to experience everything we have to offer – while giving invaluable support to our activities.
We have three memberships ranging from only 200 SEK to 600 SEK. Join us and make the year filled with the joy of discovery!
Please note that you need a Swedish personal identification number and a bank ID to become a member.
Support us
Kulturen, whose formal name is the Kulturhistoriska föreningen för södra Sverige, is a non-profit association founded in 1882 with currently over 6,000 members. As a private person, you can support our operations in several ways, such as by becoming a member or donating a gift. Help us preserve, develop, and make cultural heritage accessible!