– When Accessibility Becomes a Natural Part of the Experience
At the National Museum of Science and Technology on Royal Djurgården, accessibility has long been an integrated part of development. Now, a decisive step forward is being taken. A new ramp connects the museum’s main building with the large exhibition hall. A change that not only removes a physical barrier, but also transforms how visitors move through, experience, and share the museum.
From Special Solution to Shared Path
In one of the museum’s most central passageways, visitors using wheelchairs were previously referred to an elevator. With the new solution, everyone can now take the same route through the museum — without detours. The ramp creates a continuous flow while also offering a new visual experience of the spacious Machine Hall.
It’s a change that may seem obvious, but one that has required long-term commitment and priorities. The goal has been clear: everyone should be able to move on equal terms, without accessibility feeling like an add-on.
Accessibility as a Design Principle
What sets this initiative apart is that accessibility is not treated as a technical fix added afterward, but as an integral part of both architecture and experience. The ramp is designed to blend into the exhibition space. And it contributes to the overall aesthetic, in line with previous work at the museum. In the MegaMind exhibition, people with diverse functional abilities were already included in the development process. And when Wisdome Stockholm opened, ramps were an integrated part of the building’s architecture.
The ambition has been clear: to create an accessible museum that does not compromise on either aesthetics or content.
Collaboration Driving Change
The new ramp has been made possible through support from Permobil and the Promobilia Foundation. They are two organizations rooted in Swedish innovation with a strong focus on independence and inclusion for people living with disabilities.
For Permobil, the commitment is fundamental: ensuring that people can access culture on equal terms. For the Promobilia Foundation, the project continues a legacy of using technology to create freedom and participation. Together, they demonstrate how collaboration between businesses, foundations, and cultural institutions can drive tangible change.
Part of Something Bigger
The ramp is completed in connection with the opening of the new exhibition Drömlandet, the museum’s largest investment to date. The exhibition explores the role of technology in Sweden’s development — where innovation is not only about products, but also about people, ideas, and societal transformation.
In this context, the ramp becomes more than a physical structure. It becomes a symbol of how the spaces of the future can be designed: inclusive from the start.
A Djurgården for Everyone
On Royal Djurgården, broader efforts are underway to strengthen accessibility and sustainability — socially, environmentally, and economically. Initiatives like this show how individual actors can make a significant impact while contributing to a shared direction.
Now that the path through the museum is the same for everyone, it also marks a step toward a more inclusive Djurgården — a place where more people can participate, experience, and feel welcome, without barriers.
By replacing a separate solution (elevator) with a shared ramp, all visitors can move on equal terms, strengthening inclusion and participation in society. (10.2, 10.3)
The museum’s initiative demonstrates how public environments can be designed so that accessibility becomes a natural part of architecture, contributing to a more sustainable and inclusive urban space. (11.3, 11.7)
The project was made possible through collaboration between the museum and actors such as Permobil and the Promobilia Foundation, showing how partnerships can drive concrete improvements in accessibility. (17.6, 17.17)
