James Bond museum in Småland - the world's only Bond museum

James Bond Museum in Småland - why is it here and can it really be the world's only Bond museum? The man behind this impressive collection of film gadgets is now, along with his other names, James Bond, and it all started with the disappearance of his father.

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James Bond Museum in Småland

The James Bond Museum in Småland is a fantastic place for anyone who loves the James Bond films, and perhaps for everyone else as well. The collection is hugely impressive and the museum is so large that visitors are provided with a map of the many rooms.

The James Bond Museum in Småland is located in Nybro, just over 20 miles north-west of Kalmar.

Behind the scenes - the man behind the museum

Gunnar Schäfer, who today also carries the names James and Bond in his passport, got hooked on the Bond films when he saw the film Goldfinger at the cinema with his brother at the age of 8. He became fascinated by the action hero and started collecting James Bond gadgets at the age of 8 - a collection that eventually developed into the world's first and only Bond museum.

Behind the surface, however, there is a sadder story. When Gunnar was just two years old, his father disappeared without a trace. His father, who came from Germany and had fought in the Second World War, travelled to Germany to find his parents. But he was never heard from again and the family never knew what happened.

Although Gunnar was so young that he barely has any memories of the event itself, it has characterised his entire life. As a child, he found a father figure in James Bond and author Ian Fleming, who he felt had similarities to his father. As an adult, he has tried to find answers to the riddle, but has yet to get anywhere. However, the museum is growing every year!

An impressive collection

It's an impressive collection of gadgets at the James Bond Museum in Småland, Sweden. There are films, books, posters and lots of gadgets from the films. You'll find everything from exclusive liquor bottles to the Bond girls' dresses and Bond's own swimming trunks.

Gunnar Schäfer - or Nybro's James Bond - is constantly having new discussions with film makers to get the latest gadgets. Films are shot in places like Switzerland or Italy, and then cars, planes and vehicles are sent here to the forests of Småland. It's really fascinating that all this stuff is here in little Nybro in Småland, but this is, after all, the world's only Bond museum!

The most impressive collections are waiting in the vehicle halls. It's almost hard to believe it's true. Just about every vehicle from the Bond films is here: cars, aeroplanes, boats, a gondola and a hovercraft. And yes, even the motorbike from the latest film, No Time to Die, has found its way here. Alongside the vehicles are film sequences that recall the role of the vehicles in each film. Fun!

We were impressed by the Cessnan used in three Bond films: Live And Let Die 1973, License To Kill 1989 and Goldeneye 1995, as well as the hovercraft from the 2002 film Die Another Day.

A corner for Star Wars

When we finished looking around the museum, we stopped for a while to talk to Gunnar. In addition to immersing ourselves in James Bond, we talked about our recent trip to Tunisia, where we visited two filming locations for Star Wars: Tozeur and Matmata.

"Have you seen my Star Wars corner?", Gunnar asked. No, we had actually missed it, so we had to go back. Let's not exaggerate this little corner of the museum, but as Star Wars fans, it was still fun to look in here!

Visiting the James Bond Museum in Småland

Visiting the James Bond Museum in Småland is an experience. You should not expect a designed and airy museum where everything is perfectly exposed. Instead, you should expect an impressive collection of Bond paraphernalia - more than what is available somewhere else throughout the world. Incredibly fascinating! Yes, so special that people come here from the other side of the world - just to see this!

Of course, there is even more to see in the museum than we have shown - this is just a selection. And hey, make sure you go to the toilet before you leave. In a Bond museum there is of course ... a Bond toilet!

Video "James Bond museum"

More to see and do in the neighbourhood

From the James Bond Museum in Småland, it's not too far to Kalmar, including Kalmar Castle. You can also take the opportunity to discover the entire Glass Kingdom, with glassworks such as Orranäs, Målerås and Kosta. Here you can also visit Lessebo hand paper mill and Emmaboda art. The area also offers many great nature experiences, such as hiking, cycling, fishing, safari parks or zipline.

For even more Bond inspiration, you can visit different filming locations around the world. At Schilthorn in Switzerland, where "On Her Majesty's Secret Service" was filmed, there is also Bond World, an interactive exhibition focusing on this particular film.

Have you visited the James Bond Museum in Småland? Have you seen the Bond films, and if so, which is your favourite?

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