Witches

The acclaimed exhibition WITCHES makes its West Sweden debut this autumn. In the year of Our Lord 1668, Satan’s fury is unleashed in Sweden. Suddenly, women are accused of witchcraft and consorting with the Devil. The King sends out a commission on witchcraft with the power to impose the death penalty. The verdicts begin to come in—and become the spark that sets the witch pyres ablaze across the country. “The Great Noise” has begun. And before it falls silent, the axe and the fire will have claimed nearly 300 women’s lives.

An experience where scenography and history interact

WITCHES is a multisensory exhibition portraying real events and human lives in the wake of the witch trials. Here you meet the women accused of witchcraft in 17th-century Sweden and the children who testified against them. Gossip in cottages becomes accepted as truth and leads to devastating consequences.

This is a visual and evocative exhibition created by artist Pompe Hedengren and scenographer Erik Gullberg. Real events are brought to life using AI as an artistic device. The women and their executioners take shape. We can imagine what they looked like and who they were. History teacher and presenter Cecilia Düringer, from the podcast P3 Historia, wrote the texts.

WITCHES is the first historical exhibition in Sweden created in part with the help of AI. It has drawn large audiences and has been shown at, among other venues, Historiska museet, Kalmar Castle and Örebro Castle. This is the first time it has been shown in West Sweden. The header image is AI-generated.