At a glance

The National Historical Museums of Sweden run seven historic sites. For the summer exhibition on alchemy at Skokloster Castle, SHM chose Ask Mona. The agent, "The Alchemist" (Alkemisten in Swedish), went live in June 2026. Its first weekend coincided with Sweden's National Day. It is also Ask Mona's first project in Sweden.
‍

The institution

Statens historiska museer is a Swedish public body that brings together several of the country's major heritage sites, including the Royal Armoury (Livrustkammaren) in Stockholm and Skokloster Castle. As a national institution, SHM carries a clear mandate: make Sweden's history accessible to the widest possible audience, and do it with the rigour expected of a state museum.
‍

The challenge

The agent had to speak about alchemy, point visitors to real objects in SHM's collections, and stay faithful to the exhibition's editorial line. The experience had to be ready for the summer season, on a fixed opening date that could not move.
‍

The approach

The agent is a character, not a neutral information desk. It explains the philosopher's stone, shares alchemical symbols, and links visitors straight to relevant objects in SHM's collections. The aim is to turn a static exhibition into a conversation that visitors lead with their own curiosity.
‍

Ask Mona built the agent on its platform in the Enhanced, voice-first format, displayed full-page on dedicated screens at the castle, with Swedish added alongside English for the project.
‍

Why it matters

The Alchemist shows what AI-led interpretation can do for a national museum: give a historic place a voice, let visitors follow their own curiosity, and connect a single exhibition to the museum's wider collections.
‍

It is also Ask Mona's first project in Sweden, and the first chapter of a relationship designed to grow, with the Royal Armoury in Stockholm next and the rest of SHM's sites on the horizon."