A great southern scene for the fine arts
Malmö has earned an impressive international reputation as an art city, with several world class art venues, despite the recent closure of the renowned Rooseum art centre. Malmö Konstmuseum (Malmö Art Museum), one of the largest in Sweden and splendidly located in the Malmöhus Renaissance castle, boasts an impressive permanent collection of art and style history, from the 1500s to present times.
The collection of contemporary Nordic art is one of the biggest in the world, and there are also several other highlights, including a quite remarkable collection of Russian art from the beginning of the 20th century. The exhibit programme is ambitious and there is also a large gallery for temporary exhibits, Swedish as well as international.
Malmö Konsthall (Malmö Art Hall) is one of Europe´s largest and most beautiful centres for contemporary art, with a powerful and diverse programme of exhibits and events, ranging from large shows of modern classics to the extreme avant-garde. The building itself is well worth a visit, famous for its generously flowing light and magnificent white spaces. The restaurant Smak is an attraction in its own right, serving a very popular Sunday brunch. Malmö´s scene for private galleries is also extremely dynamic, with over 50 galleries in the downtown area alone, many of which are of high international standard.
For stage perfomances, the Malmö Opera & Music Theatre offers a most varied programme, from classical opera to musicals and children´s concerts. The opera building is a beautiful modernist classic, design by a trio of renowned architects led by master modernist Sigurd Lewerentz, and inaugurated in 1944.
For pop, rock and all other genres of contemporary music, Malmö is a lively and exciting scene. Classic KB and recently opened Debaser are two first-rate permanent clubs for local, Swedish and international bands, and there are also many nightclubs and bars that stage concerts and performances with hot acts in various contemporary musical styles.