Spurned by high society, the wealthy banker Ernest Thiel had this Art residence built on a hill in Djurgården to house the collection of works of art that he bought or commissioned with his wife. The priceless collection comprises works by Swedish (Zorn, Larsson, Jansson, Strindberg etc) and foreign artists, including major works by Edvard Munch. When he went bankrupt in 1924, the State purchased the residence-cum-gallery and opened it to the public soon after.