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Halloween at Skansen

Halloween – a Swedish tradition since 1990! Go trick or treating in Skansen's historic quarter and take part in an evening adventure filled with exciting activities, cozy frights, and a touch of autumn wonder. Welcome 29 October–1 November!

Buy tickets for 29 Oct–1 Nov – best price online

  • This year, Skansen invites visitors to join in on the Halloween celebration for the first time! Among the autumn leaves and historic houses, there is a spooky but cozy atmosphere for the whole family.

    After regular opening hours, when the rest of Skansen is closed, ghosts, goblins and other creepy creatures crawl out of their hiding places. This year, we are opening the doors for children and their adults to join in the scary festivities.

    Welcome to a Halloween celebration after dusk filled with activities!

  • Information

    Date: 29 October–1 November 2025

    Time: 16.00–19.00

    Where: The City Quarters, The Herb Garden, Bollnästorget

    Tickets: All activities are included in Skansen’s regular admission. Free admission for children aged 0–15.

    Visitors who visits Skansen’s other holiday activities earlier in the day are welcome to stay to participate in Halloween

  • 0-12 years

    Trick or Treat at Skansen's Historic City Quarter

    Go on a classic trick-or-treat tour of the City Quarter and meet exciting characters along the way. It will be a fun and a little bit spooky experience for all children. Dressing up is encouraged!

  • The Black Cat's Path

    During Halloween, the Herb Garden has been transformed into the Black Cat's Path – who knows what's hiding in the bushes. Do you dare to experience Skansen after dark?

  • Halloween Disco at the Bollnäs Square

    Pump it up on the dance floor! We welcome all little ghosts to our Halloween Disco at the Bollnäs Square.

  • Food and beverage

    There will be hot dogs and marshmallows for sale at the Bollnäs Square.

  • Halloween – a Swedish tradition

    • Halloween is celebrated on October 31, but in Sweden you can count on trick-or-treaters during most of the autumn holidays.
    • In the Nordic countries, Halloween is associated with All Saints’ Day, a day in memory of the dead that is celebrated on November 1.
    • The tradition has its origins in the Irish and Anglo-Saxon All Hallow’s Eve, where fires were lit to guide the dead and keep away evil forces.
    • During the 19th century, Halloween spread to the USA via Irish emigrants. There it developed into a children’s holiday with playful elements such as “trick or treat”.
    • The first traces of Halloween in Sweden are from the 1950s when American guest students organized Halloween parties. During the late 1980s, taverns in big cities organized Halloween evenings. Popular culture has probably had a major impact on the widespread spread of the day.
    • In 2025, it will be 35 years since Hard Rock Café and Butterick’s in Stockholm launched a large-scale campaign to introduce Halloween on a broad front. Halloween is one of many examples of traditions that migrate, adapt, and merge with older customs and traditions.

FAQ

  • Is Halloween at Skansen scary?

    Halloween at Skansen is cozy with a gentle spooky vibe, but it doesn’t include pure horror experiences and is designed with younger children in mind. Neither the decor nor the activities are intended to be overly frightening, though perceptions of “scary” vary from person to person. We recommend that accompanying adults take part in all activities together with the children.

  • Will there be people in costumes trying to scare us?

    During various programme activities you’ll meet characters in costume. They won’t try to frighten you or act scary, but because they are ghost-like, some children may still find them a bit spooky.

  • How does trick-or-treating work?

    The activity begins in the square just after the escalator, where every child who wants to join receives a candy cone to start with. The route continues through Stadskvarteren (the City Quarter), and a lit pumpkin marks each stop.

    Behind the doors, different characters are waiting – far more eager to hand out sweets than to be “tricked”! The age limit for this activity is 12, and it’s one round per child only.

    Please note: During peak times we may temporarily close the entrance and introduce time slots to avoid long queues. You’ll receive a ticket with a time on it and can enjoy the rest of the Halloween offerings while you wait.

    The activity must be started no later than 18.45 to be completed before closing time.

  • Is the candy for trick-or-treating real candy?

    Yes. However, we cannot guarantee that every item suits all needs. The sweets we hand out will be nut- and gelatin-free.

  • Can I see the animals or visit the historic houses in the evening?

    No. During Halloween, visitors may only move within the designated programme area. The rest of the park is closed.

  • Are any indoor spaces open?

    No. All activities take place outdoors.

  • What do you do with all the pumpkins after Halloween?

    We make good use of them, either by giving them to our animals in the park or by recycling!

Day Time
29 October 2025 16.00-19.00
30 October 2025 16.00-19.00
31 October 2025 16.00-19.00
1 November 2025 16.00-19.00
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Autumn break

Autumn Break at Skansen

Go on an exciting mystery hunt in the City Quarters, listen to spooky stories and learn more about animal skeletons. This year, something completely new is also happening – for the first time, we are inviting you to Halloween nights! From Wednesday to Saturday, Skansen is transformed into a magical place filled with mystery, mischief and excitement.

  • The Children´s zoo (Lill-Skansen) included in the entrance fee
    Jan-Mar weekdays10-15 weekends 10-16, April 10-16, May 10.00–17.00, Jun-Aug 10.00-18.00, Sept 10.00-17.00, Oct-Dec weekdays 10-15, weekends 10-16

  • Baltic Sea Science Center, included in the entrance fee
    Jan-Mar weekdays10-15 weekends 10-16, April 10-16, May 10.00–17.00, Jun-Aug 10.00-18.00, Sept 10.00-17.00, Oct-Dec weekdays 10-15, weekends 10-16

  • Funicular railway (Bergbanan)
    The funicular railwayruns daily during Easter, weekends in April and thereafter daily.

  • The Skansen-Aquarium
    Opens daily 10.00 see calendar for closing hours