Länsmuseet Varberg is Halland’s regional museum and is housed in Varberg Fortress. The exhibitions tell the cultural history of the county of Halland in south-west Sweden. The museum’s most famous find is the Bocksten Man, a medieval bog corpse dating from the 14th century. Other exhibitions include peasant life, folk art, the history of the fortress, the legendary ‘kulknappen’ bullet said to have killed Karl XII, and art. For children there is a wardrobe of historical costumes for dressing up and a fishing boat to play in. There are temporary exhibitions on art and cultural history throughout the year.

There is lots going on in the summer in particular, with dramatised tours of Varberg Fortress, a historical workshop for children, and the Cycle Museum. The regional museum also includes a Boat Museum in Galtabäck fishing harbour, a scant 10 km south of Varberg, which is open on weekends and holidays in the June-August period.

Some of the museum’s most popular activities include the annual market days, when the entire fortress buzzes with life. For example, there are the medieval days on the first weekend in July, when Varberg Fortress goes medieval with jesters and knights and a large medieval market. ‘Michaelmas food and festival’ takes place on the Michaelmas weekend at the beginning of October and is a multi-sensory experience with regional food, tastings, items for sale and the fortress decorated with vegetables.