Despite its relatively closed exterior, the building has a spacious interior dominated by a large flight of stairs leading to the topmost galleries.

The $132 million overhaul was undertaken to allow for more of the museum's collection to be displayed and to deliver the security, accessibility, fire safety and climate control of a modern institution.

As with several other European national galleries, the history of the Nationalmuseum involves a transition in ownership from royalty to the state, and by extension publicly available collections.

[3] The collection features miniatures from many European schools, including works by Nicholas Hilliard, Isaac Oliver and Louis-Marie Autissier.

A significant portion of the collection derives from the master collector Carl Fredrik Dahlgren, while the more exclusive works were donated by Hjalmar Wicander, a cork-factory owner.

In 2009, the National Property Board of Sweden (SFV) was commissioned to perform a feasibility study for a renovation and refurbishment project, and the group presented a building program to the government in 2011.

On 20 February 2014, the SFV was commissioned by the government to perform a renovation and conversion of the Nationalmuseum into a fully modern museum building.

The museum was reinaugurated on 13 October 2018 by King Carl XVI Gustaf in the presence of other members of the royal family, minister of culture Alice Bah Kuhnke and thousands of visitors.