Artur Hazelius

Artur Immanuel Hazelius ( born November 30, 1833 in Stockholm, † May 27, 1901 ) was a Swedish philologist and ethnographer. He is best known as the founder of the Nordic Museum and the open-air museum Skansen in Stockholm.

Arturs father was an officer and politician, and his mother came from a Swedish noble family. After his education at the University of Uppsala Artur 1860, obtained the doctorate in philology. After that, he was a time as a teacher and lecturer for the higher teacher seminar in Stockholm operates. He then wrote several textbooks on spelling.

Hazelius interest in ethnography has been awakened in his childhood. His father was of the opinion that the young Hazelius should get to know all the regions of the country. So he let Artur several journeys to relatives in Sweden. Artur became acquainted with a variety of folk costumes know and put a collection of items from the various ethnic groups. This Scandinavian - ethnographic collection formed the cornerstone of the Nordic Museum after it was passed in 1880 by Hazelius to the Swedish state. Even the World Exhibition in Paris contributed Hazelius with some exhibits at from his collection.

After that Hazelius interested for older farmhouses. He bought several buildings and left in 1891 to build the second open-air museum in the world on a hill of the Stockholm island of Djurgården. He had his inspiration (then Kristiana ), which was inaugurated in 1881 by King Oscar II from the open-air museum of Oslo. The Skansen quickly reached popularity in the Swedish capital. Hazelius wanted it also act pedagogically and showed the entire Swedish culture.

After Hazelius wife, Sofia Elizabeth, was in 1874 died, Hazelius attracted more and more from the public. He spent his last years in self-imposed solitude in a house on the grounds of Skansen. His final resting place is located in the open air museum.

• Swede
• Skandinavist
• Ethnologist
• Born in 1833
• Died in 1901
• Man