Witness accounts from 1628 relate that Vasa had four sails raised at the time of the catastrophe. In all she could carry ten raised. After several years of work, conservators have been able to establish that what had been considered a ‘pile of leaves’ was in fact the six sails which had not been hoisted.

In the exhibition the fore topgallant sail covers a whole wall. This was the smallest sail on the Vasa, 32 square metres, and as far as we know is the oldest surviving sail in the world.

At the time of excavation the sails were as stable as wet newspaper! They were found in the depths of the ship and resembled a pile of leaves. It was necessary to test the way forward to find the best methods of conservation.

The great platform from which the sails were worked – sits on the Vasa’s main mast, 17 metres above the deck. The exhibition includes a replica of the platform and you can try standing here at the same dizzy height looking down to the lowest levels of the museum.

Five models of ships at sail, powerfully sculptured in copper, demonstrate the complicated manoeuvre of turning into the wind.