We have a number of conference tours at the 2026 RSA Annual Conference in Gothenburg, Sweden. Most of these tours are free, but booking in advance is required.
Pre-conference tours – Monday 15th June 2026 – the following tours can be booked during conference registration.
Option 1:
SKF Factory Visit and Company Exhibition, 10:00-12:00 and 13:00-15:00
Meeting point: tbc
Cost: Free
Capacity: Places are limited to 20 participants per group
Click here to book your free place
Founded in Gothenburg in 1907, SKF, a global engineering company specializing in bearings, seals, and rotating equipment, has been closely tied to the city’s economic development for more than a century and remains a key industrial and innovation actor in the region. This visit offers a rare opportunity to step inside an SKF factory and company exhibition, providing first-hand insight into contemporary production processes, technological development, and the continuing relationship between a global manufacturing firm and its home city.
Option 2:
Guided City Walk: The Economic History of Gothenburg, 13:00-15:00
Meeting Point: tbc
Cost: Free
Capacity: Places are limited to 25 participants per group
Click here to book your free place
Kick off the conference by exploring Gothenburg’s economic history on foot. This guided walk moves beyond the postcard view to explore the how and why behind the city’s development as a maritime and industrial center. Led by economic historian Per Hallén, the walk follows Gothenburg’s evolution from a strategic 17th-century trading hub to its present role as a key economic and transport node in Scandinavia. Along the route, Per will use specific places in the city to show how economic activity and urban development have shaped Gothenburg over time.
Option 3:
Guided City Walk: Järntorget – A Transport Hub Through the Ages, 10:00-12:00
Meeting Point: tbc
Cost: Free
Capacity: Places are limited to 25 participants per group
Click here to book your free place
This tour walks through one of Gothenburg’s key transport areas, where different layers of the city’s infrastructure can be seen side by side. Starting at Esperantoplatsen, the route traces the development from early transport systems such as horse-drawn traffic to major contemporary projects like the underground Västlänken railway, showing how the city has adapted its infrastructure to changing demands for trade and mobility. The walk passes through Haga, one of Gothenburg’s oldest neighbourhoods, before continuing along Nya Allén, where large-scale transport and urban development projects are reshaping the area, offering a clear view of how transport infrastructure has influenced the city’s spatial form and everyday life over time.
Option 4:
Guided City Walk: Norra Älvstranden – What Happened After the Shipyard Era?, 13:00-15:00
Meeting Point: tbc
Cost: Free
Capacity: Places are limited to 25 participants per group
Click here to book your free place
In the early 1970s, Gothenburg was one of the world’s leading shipbuilding cities, home to several major shipyards. Within a decade the shipyard era had come to an end, forcing the city to rethink its future. This walk follows the waterfront through former shipyard areas where large vessels were once built and explores how these sites have since been redeveloped, focusing on Gothenburg’s process to post-industrial urban transformation. Along the route, the walk looks at how the city responded to industrial decline by investing in new forms of production, innovation, and sustainable transport, and how former docklands have been transformed into a mix of technology campuses, research environments, and residential areas while retaining links to their industrial past.
Option 5:
Karlatornet – Guided Visit and Gothenburg View, 13:00-15:00
Meeting Point: tbc
Cost: SEK 185 (£15/€17) per person
Capacity: Places are limited to 60 participants
Click here to book your place
Karlatornet, the tallest building in the Nordic countries, is a new landmark in Gothenburg’s urban landscape and a recent example of large-scale urban development. This guided visit focuses on the planning and architectural aspects of the project and how such developments fit into broader discussions about density, infrastructure, and urban form. The tour includes access to selected technical floors and concludes at Gothenburg View on level 69, with coffee and refreshments and panoramic views across the city and surrounding archipelago.
Optional Excursions – these tours can be booked directly using the links below
Option 1:
Gothenburg Archipelago Cruise with lunch, 11:30-14:00
Cost: SEK 560 (£35 per person)
Click here to book your place
Explore the beautiful southern Gothenburg archipelago on a scenic boat cruise. This guided excursion offers a wonderful maritime contrast to the city-based sessions and shows the natural coastal environment that shapes the region’s history and development. The tour offers panoramic views of the harbor, Älvsborg Fortress, and the surrounding islands. Live commentary is provided in both English and Swedish.
Participants are free to join this tour separately, and we recommend advance booking directly through Stromma to secure a place (https://www.stromma.com/en-se/gothenburg/excursions/archipelago-tour-with-lunch/).
Option 2:
The World of Volvo
Cost: See World of Volvo website
Click here to book your place
The World of Volvo is a new experience center and exhibition space dedicated to the Volvo brand and its close relationship with the Gothenburg region. Located in central Gothenburg, the center explores Volvo’s history, technological development, and its role in shaping mobility, industry, and sustainability.
Please note that this visit is not organized as a group activity by the conference. Participants are welcome to visit individually and are encouraged to book tickets directly via The World of Volvo’s website (https://www.worldofvolvo.com/en/visit).