Published 05 December 2016 • Inter IKEA newsroom

IKEA Museum opens its doors

The world's first and only IKEA Museum has officially opened to the public in Älmhult, Sweden – the heart of IKEA. It is a place where we want to share everything that has made IKEA what it is today and what it may become tomorrow.

The ideas and motivation, the people and the furniture, the mistakes and the lessons learned. IKEA Museum is the story of IKEA and how an entrepreneur from the southern parts of Sweden, the province of Småland, together with his co-workers – decided to create "a better everyday life for the many people".

IKEA Museum will house a main exhibition in three parts and a temporary exhibition. The main exhibition brings the early years together with the present day and the future.

"IKEA Museum is forward-looking, but it’s also necessary to look back in time to understand what drives IKEA today. The story of IKEA is about innovation and daring decisions along with mistakes and misguided ventures. Often it is the set-backs that have taught us the most at IKEA," says Cia Eriksson, Creative Leader of the project that has made IKEA Museum possible.

The Our roots theme takes us on a journey through living conditions in late nineteenth century Småland, Ingvar Kamprad’s own childhood in the 1930s and Sweden’s transformation from farming society to a modern welfare state – factors that have played a crucial role in the establishment of IKEA.

Our story starts in the same building the museum visitors find themselves in – the very first IKEA store, which opened in Älmhult in 1958. Here, we get to know the entrepreneur Ingvar Kamprad and the colleagues who helped him in his task of creating opportunities for the many people to be able to furnish their homes with attractive and functional furniture.

The third part of the exhibition, Your stories, puts the spotlight on customers’ own stories – individual, inventive ways of using our furniture and products and relationships with them.

"It is more than 70 years since Ingvar Kamprad founded IKEA and we have many stories to share – of the events, situations and people that have made IKEA what it is today. A museum is a format that provides space for many different perspectives and a living dialogue. It gives us the opportunity to allow people to experience and come into close contact with the story of IKEA," says Carina Kloek-Malmsten, Manager, IKEA Museum.

IKEA Museum also has a temporary exhibition that will always focus on a topical theme we are particularly interested in. It will change a couple a times a year, and the initial installation focuses on life in and around the kitchen. The exhibition was first displayed during Milan Design Week 2015 under the hashtag #IKEAtemporary.

At IKEA Museum you will also find an educational programme which will focus on entrepreneurship, technology and design, and history and society. IKEA Museum also has a restaurant and a shop selling a range of items that is largely unique to the museum.

IKEA Museum fun facts: Floor area: 7,000 m² Exhibition space: approximately 3,500 m² Number of floors: 4 Restaurant: 170 seats Shop area: 250 m² Opening times: Every day 10.00–19.00 Address: IKEAgatan 5, Älmhult, Sweden.