Detail of a giant collection of pen nibs at Stockholm's Nordiska museum

The Vasa's strange "beak" and bowsprit.

11 years of research into paint pigments used on the original carvings allowed conservationists to make these replica carvings, believed to accurately protray how the Vasa's decorations looked on her maiden/final voyage.

The Vasa looks massive when you stand beside her, but she had only 6' of freeboard when launched, too little to allow the addition of sufficient ballast, and too little to keep leeward seas out of the lower gun deck doors.

Vasa, in the museum building built around her after she was raised in the late 50s.

Stern carvings, meant to impress the Swedish and taunt the Poles.

Two levels of elaborately decorated musketeer galleries surround the stern quarters.

In the mid 16th century, all but a few of the Vasa's valuable main cannons were salvaged by brave men working in diving bells like this one. They had no light, no windows, and 4 degree (celcius) water