Nearly 200 wooden sculptures give Oskarshamn a distinctive cultural introduction: the Döderhultarmuseet displays works by Döderhultarn, who lived and worked in Oskarshamn and later became internationally known. From this artist’s story, the focus moves on to seafaring, the city’s history and contemporary art—subjects that are presented in different ways in museums, exhibitions and public spaces.
Seafaring, Art and City History
The Sjöfartsmuseet traces the development of seafaring in the Oskarshamn region. Exhibits include ship models, navigational equipment and objects from specialist trades. Younger visitors are also catered for: the ship-themed children’s area includes the galley and wheelhouse of the Thyra.
Exhibitions at Oskarshamn Konsthall change regularly. They feature Swedish contemporary art as well as photography, crafts and cultural history. Fredriksbergs herrgĂĄrd offers a different perspective on design: built in 1783, the manor showcases architecture, art and furniture-making from the Gustavian era. It also houses an 18th-century mineral collection.
The photo exhibition Ögonblick från Oscarshamn traces the city’s history and development from 1890 to 1970. Its themes include the harbour, Fredriksbergs herrgård, small businesses, culture and entertainment. In the city’s public spaces today, the Oskarshamn Street Art project has transformed building façades into colourful murals; individual works may change over time.
The stone industry also shapes the cultural history of the surrounding area. The museum in Vånevik includes a trail running past around 30 large and small quarries. At 15 stops marked with QR codes, you can learn more about the heyday of the stone industry; QR-code content and trail details may be updated. Stensjö by, also in the surrounding area, was established in 2020 as the first cultural reserve in Kalmar County.
Trails and Landscapes
In Oskarshamn, the forests of Småland meet the sea. The surrounding area has more than 6,000 islands and 533 lakes, and there are over 20 swimming spots in the municipality. If you want to compare trails by length, there are options of different distances: the nature trail on Uvö is about 2.2 kilometres long. There are benches along the trail and a designated barbecue area. The Havslätt recreation area has three fitness and exercise routes, measuring 7.3, 5.0 and 2.4 kilometres.
The Ostkustleden is divided into eight stages and offers the option of staying overnight in cabins. The trail’s surface and terrain are also worth considering: Döderhultarns stig is hilly in places and unsuitable for pushchairs, wheelchairs and people with reduced mobility. You can walk, run or cycle along the Strandpromenaden Camping till camping, which is also suitable for pushchairs and mobility aids. The routes and trails therefore differ not only in length, but also in character and accessibility.
The Havslätt recreation area also has an outdoor gym, a motor skills course and a barbecue hut. For more ways to stay active, Allmänhetens Arena in Oskarshamn offers free sessions for ice skating, inline skating, football and running. The arena’s indoor swimming pool has a 25-metre pool with eight lanes; during opening hours, lanes are always reserved for swimming training. A children’s lagoon with water-spraying figures and playful water activities completes the facilities.
Harbour and Routes by Water
Oskarshamn’s guest harbour near Brädholmen has 80 to 100 visitor berths. Facilities include toilets, showers, fuel and bicycle hire. In summer, from Midsummer to mid-August, an excursion boat runs daily from the harbour to the national park island of Blå Jungfrun; the crossing takes about 1.5 hours.
Ferry services also give travel plans a seasonal or year-round framework: Destination Gotland operates a year-round service between Oskarshamn and Visby. The M/S Solsund car and passenger ferry runs daily in summer between Oskarshamn and Byxelkrok on Ă–land. For seasonal sailings to BlĂĄ Jungfrun and Byxelkrok, as well as timetables, it is worth checking the latest information before travelling.
Discover more destinations: Figeholm, Kristdala, VĂĄnevik, Misterhult, FĂĄrbo, PĂĄskallavik, KrĂĄkemĂĄla, Oskarshamn.
For the overview of the wider region: Kalmar.
