The Vasamuseet Museum is a celebration of a unique historical event - the Vasa ship sank in 1628 and was exhumed from its watery grave in 1961

National coat of arms on the stern of the wooden Vasa warship, built from 1000 oak trees, to go into battle against the King's cousin in Poland

On her maiden voyage on August 10, 1628, she sank in harbor between "The Old Town" (Gamla Stan) and the "Ostermalm" district only 20 minutes after launching

A sudden storm/heavy winds caused the Vasa ship to heel violently over to one side, causing water to gush into the gunports - ship sank into 110 feet of water

Mockup of the ship which was 230 feet long, now fully restored and rigged -      the Vasa is world's only intact 17th century ship, the oldest, fully-identified ship

On August 20, 1959, the Vasa was raised by salvaging pontoons connected by cables that had been drawn through tunnels dug under the ship

Round rocks in the ballast of the ship caused the ship of fall on its side and sink

The round rocks rolled to the side - 63 heavy cannons weighted  it down, also

Vasa sat on muddy bed of harbor for 333 years before being raised out

Mockup in 5-story museum shows colorful, gold-gilded ornaments in stern area

A few of the 12,000 artistic ornaments that adorned the splendid ship

Sparkle of the gold and huge lion figurehead could be seen through the clear water

Vasa, commissioned by King Gustavus II Adolphus, was built using trees from the Royal Forest of Oak - sculptors selected suitable limbs for figureheads/images

Longest deck plank was over fifty fee long - no drawings or plans were used - fearsome leonine visages were sculptured to scare off enemies!

One of the valuable bronze cannons recovered from the salvaged ship

Cutaway of the busy crew readying the ornate royal ship for its maiden voyage

Skeleton of a royal guest or crew member - 23 died when ship sank

Rusty and blackened anchors, chains, and cannons are on display