Värnamo: Art, History and Nature

Apladalen shows two sides of Värnamo: a nature and heritage park in the town centre, and a place where local history comes to life. Museums, art galleries and walking tours of the town’s history add further perspectives. You can tailor your stay to your interests, from historic crafts to design, art and nature.

Apladalen: nature and local heritage

Apladalen is a 22-hectare nature and heritage park in the centre of Värnamo. Its historical side includes Prästgården, a museum with preserved interiors from a 19th-century vicarage. The site also includes cottages from the 18th and 19th centuries. They are associated with crafts and trades such as shoemaking, brass casting, wire drawing and pottery. These names provide tangible points of reference for local craft history, while the park’s natural character reveals another side of the site. Agdas Café operates as a café, kiosk and restaurant in the summer. Check current opening arrangements before your visit.

Design, art and changing exhibitions

The Bruno Mathsson Center in central Värnamo includes an exhibition hall designed by Bruno Mathsson himself. It displays classic furniture, including Pernilla, Eva, Jetson 66 and Miranda; exhibitions may change over time. Vandalorum has a different focus: the museum is dedicated to art and design. At its Form Studio, children and adults can get creative together. Additional activities for children take place during school holidays, with programmes varying according to the holiday period and calendar. Together, the two venues offer a comparison between the furniture design of a single designer and a broader perspective on art and design.

Gummifabriken and the town’s history

Gummifabriken is a modern visitor and meeting centre with a cinema, café, restaurant, art exhibitions and town library. The Blickfånget art gallery hosts changing exhibitions featuring different art forms and current topics. The cultural history section also includes the Avtrycket and Utblicken rooms. The permanent exhibition “Värnamo – Vår stad berättar” is about the people, places and events that have shaped Värnamo. “Gummifabriken – Ett hus med historia” offers a distinct perspective on industrial history: the exhibition shares the voices and experiences of former employees through texts, objects and photographs. The art trail in Gummifabriken starts at the information centre on Level 0.

Town history and public art

Walking tours also offer different points of focus. Pinnapå is a historical walking tour in Värnamo, with twelve signs at places of historical interest. The signs are designed as blue chairs and draw inspiration from Värnamo’s heritage as a town of Windsor chairs, or stick-back chairs. The public art trail, Konstvandring, presents 14 different works of art. This lets you choose between focusing on historic places and taking a tour of artworks, without conflating the two experiences.

Performances, film and other leisure activities

Gummifabriken’s events include concerts and theatre performances on the Auditoriet and Valsverket stages; the programme changes. Film is also part of the cultural scene: the Värnamo Filmhistoriska Festival is held annually and is Sweden’s only film festival dedicated exclusively to Swedish film history. Check dates and the programme for your intended year of travel. For cinema visits, there is also Biostaden Värnamo, with three auditoriums and a total of 316 seats. The number of auditoriums and seating capacity may change during future renovations.

Nature and getting around the municipality

Beyond the town centre, the municipality offers varied landscapes and outdoor activities. These include pump tracks, mountain-bike trails and cycle routes around lakes and through the countryside. Naturkartan has maps of hiking trails, pilgrimage routes and walking paths in Värnamo. The municipality also has 19 nature reserves, with landscapes including beech forests, open bogs, hay meadows and swamp forests. The Store Mosseleden cycle route runs between Värnamo and Hillerstorp, passing through Store Mosse National Park. Urban cultural attractions and trails through different natural landscapes therefore offer distinct ways to spend your time.

Getting there by road and rail

Värnamo lies at the junction of the E4 motorway and Route 27. It is also a railway junction for connections between Gothenburg and Karlskrona or Kalmar, and between Halmstad and Nässjö or Jönköping. As timetables may change, check the relevant train connection before travelling.

Discover more destinations: Dannäs, Tallberga, Bor, Bredaryd, Forsheda, Horda, Rydaholm, Värnamo, Gällaryd, Os, Nydala, Långshult.

Go to the overview of the wider region: Jönköping.