Spökslottet - the Scheffler Palace
Spökslottet, also known as the Scheffler Palace, on Drottninggatan, just a stone’s throw from Odenplan, was donated to Stockholm University (then Stockholm University College) in 1924. Today, this 18th century palace is used for university hospitality, internal events, activities and meetings.
The building houses parts of the University’s art collections of older paintings, sculptures, drawings, prints, porcelain and older items such as furniture, carpets and handicrafts, as well as the donated Orrefors collection of art glass. The art collections are mainly used for teaching and research, but they are also displayed for pre-booked groups of university staff and students and the general public.
The history of Spökslottet
The merchant Hans Petter Scheffler, who was married to Catarina Grill, acquired the site at what is now Drottninggatan 116 in 1697, and the palace was built in around 1700. The site included a park, now called Spökparken (the Haunted Park), with an orangery, summer house and annexes. The wrought iron gate, with the mirrored monogram, on the front of the building dates back to that time.
The property remained a private residence in the 18th and 19th centuries, and was home to Wilhelmina Hierta, widow of the publicist Lars Johan Hierta, who founded the Aftonbladet newspaper). The house and park were donated by the family to Stockholm University College, now Stockholm University, in 1924.
The university administration’s offices could be found in the building from the 1920s onwards, while the ground floor was used for the Department of Zoology and the upper floor for the Department of Art History. Over the years, Spökslottet has also been used for meetings and hospitality purposes by senior university officers. In 1960, the property and its park were transferred to the State when the university college became a university.
In 1991, the management for the park was transferred from the State to the City of Stockholm, and a major refurbishment was carried out. Spökparken is of high cultural value and therefore one of the few listed parks in Stockholm and is a core asset of national cultural heritage interest in Stockholm’s inner city and Djurgården.
Guided tours
We are currently not accepting new bookings for guided tours. Booking will reopen on September 1, 2024. For inquiries about existing bookings, please email visningar@su.se.
Guided tours in Spökslottet include the building's history, Stockholm University's art collections of older art, art glass from Orrefors and the interiors.
The tours can be booked by staff at Stockholm University but also by external groups. The tours are offered in Swedish and English. The maximum number of people per group is 25. The building is a culturally-historically sensitive environment and is not adapted for disabled people in wheelchairs.
Payment is made against invoice. Cancellation should be made no later than one week before the guided tour, after which SEK 500 per hour is charged. In case of cancellation on the day of the guided tour, the full fee will be charged.
Prices
| 1 hour tour | Prices incl VAT 6% |
| Price daytime, from 9 am to 5 pm | 3300 SEK |
| Price evening, from 5 pm to 7.30 pm | 4300 SEK |
| 1,5 hour tour | Prices incl. VAT 6% |
| Price daytime, from 9 am to 5 pm | 4100 SEK |
| Price evening, from 5 pm to 7.30 pm | 5400 SEK |
Read more about the university's art and art collections here
Contact
For more information about Spökslottet, including requests for guided tours, contact Jeanette Gill Peterberg, Manager:
Email: spokslottet@su.se
Phone: +46-8-16 15 51
Visiting Address
Spökslottet, Drottninggatan 116
Postal Address
Stockholm University
Office of the President
SE-106 91 Stockholm
For questions on the university art collection please contact Camilla Hjelm, Curator:
Email: camilla.hjelm@su.se
Last updated: April 24, 2024
Source: Office of the President