Swedish American Museum

Swedish American Museum Through its arts, educational programs and permanent collection, the Swedish American Museum interprets the immigrant experience for children and adults.
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The Swedish American Museum is a nonprofit museum and cultural center for the education, celebration and interpretation of Swedish American history and culture in Chicago, Illinois, USA.

Which artifact are you? Visit our online collection at catalogit.app/swedish-american-museum to see these and over 3,000...
09/01/2026

Which artifact are you?

Visit our online collection at catalogit.app/swedish-american-museum to see these and over 3,000 other artifacts and items of interest.

The Museum is participating in Scandinavian Day in Vasa Park next weekend on Sunday, Sept 13. A day filled with music, f...
09/01/2026

The Museum is participating in Scandinavian Day in Vasa Park next weekend on Sunday, Sept 13. A day filled with music, food, items to purchase, children’s activities, and more. Celebrate with all the Nordic Countries. Hosted by Vasa Park in Elgin. Learn more here: https://www.scandinaviandayil.com/

Go behind the scenes with Chicago a ca****la as the ensemble prepares for its fall concert, Northern Lights. The Museum ...
08/31/2026

Go behind the scenes with Chicago a ca****la as the ensemble prepares for its fall concert, Northern Lights. The Museum will be hosting this special group at the Museum on Wednesday, Sep. 9, at 7 p.m.

Through live performances and conversation with the singers and Artistic Director John William Trotter, discover the distinctive beauty of Nordic choral music and hear how professional musicians bring repertoire in five Nordic languages to life. Along the way, the ensemble will share how they approach language, pronunciation, vocal style, and cultural context, offering a rare glimpse into the artistry, research, and collaboration behind every performance. Whether you're a lover of Nordic culture, choral music, or simply curious about the creative process, this special event offers an intimate look at the care and craftsmanship that shape Northern Lights before it reaches the concert stage this fall.

Learn more about Chicago a ca****la at www.chicagoaca****la.org.

Program starts at 7 p.m. with an option to come at 6 p.m. for a Nordic dinner. Register on the Museum's website at swedishamericanmuseum.org/addmultipleeventform/35188

Join us on Sunday, Sept 20, for an afternoon with Chicago Stars & Team Sweden!Join us and Team Sweden at Northwestern Me...
08/30/2026

Join us on Sunday, Sept 20, for an afternoon with Chicago Stars & Team Sweden!

Join us and Team Sweden at Northwestern Medicine Field at Martin Stadium in Evanston for an unforgettable match! Get ready to support the Chicago Stars FC as they take on Trinity Rodman and the Washington Spirit in an epic Lakefront Faceoff on September 20. Arrive early for an exclusive chat with Swedish Head Coach Martin Sjögren. Guests will be able to enjoy the Fan Zone after the talk and before the match starts at 4p.m.

Register for this event on SACC's website at www.sacc-chicago.org/events/upcoming-events/soccer-outing-chicago-stars.

Visit the Raoul Wallenberg Gallery to see "The Hellstroms of Melrose Street c. 1915" an installation art exhibit by Thom...
08/30/2026

Visit the Raoul Wallenberg Gallery to see "The Hellstroms of Melrose Street c. 1915" an installation art exhibit by Thomas Hellstrom, open until Sunday, Oct. 4, 2026. There is an artist talk: Exploring The Hellstroms of Melrose Street c. 1915 with Thomas Hellstrom, on Thursday, Sept. 17, 6 - 7 p.m.

This immersive installation by fourth-generation Swedish-American artist Thomas Hellstrom that brings his family’s Swedish-American story on Chicago’s North Side to life. Drawing from his Great Aunt Delores Olsen’s meticulously annotated photo albums, the exhibition features candid, often humorous photographs—including early “selfies”—of Delores, her brother Harlow Hellstrom, and their father Victor, who emigrated from Stockholm in the 1890s.

Delores's handwritten, annotated photographs are the installation's starting point, which pairs a video presentation—an homage to the early movie-houses in Andersonville that Delores and Harlow frequented—with original Victorian furnishings and family heirlooms depicted in the photographs. The installation invites visitors into the everyday world of a young Swedish American family in the early 20th century, enriching the Museum’s mission by connecting historic Swedish experiences with the neighborhood as it exists today.

Visit "Andersonville Through the Ages" Sponsored by the Lind Family and Created in Collaboration with the DePaul History...
08/29/2026

Visit "Andersonville Through the Ages" Sponsored by the Lind Family and Created in Collaboration with the DePaul History 391 Class of Spring 2020.

In The Lind Room on the Museum's second floor, the Andersonville Through the Ages exhibit showcases how Andersonville became and remained an area rich in Swedish heritage. It illustrates how Andersonville has evolved over the years to incorporate contemporary tastes and hold new community celebrations, all the while holding onto its Swedish character.

Stop by the Museum for a fika in our Café and enjoy the nice weather by taking a seat in our Courtyard.
08/29/2026

Stop by the Museum for a fika in our Café and enjoy the nice weather by taking a seat in our Courtyard.

Volunteer at the Swedish American Museum to assist us with concerts, tours, art talks, admissions, special projects, and...
08/28/2026

Volunteer at the Swedish American Museum to assist us with concerts, tours, art talks, admissions, special projects, and so much more. Apply to be a volunteer on our website at SwedishAmericanMuseum.org/Volunteering.

Volunteering not only helps the Museum put on our programs and events, but it allows you to join our community in new way! Meet new people at our quarterly Volunteer Fika or annual Volunteer Appreciation Dinner; enjoy discounts in our store; attend programs and events for free! Email our Community Engagement Manager Layne at [email protected] to learn more.

Tonight, Aug. 28, at 5:30 p.m. is a concert with Hampus Öhman-Frölund. Join us as he plays selections from his new solo ...
08/28/2026

Tonight, Aug. 28, at 5:30 p.m. is a concert with Hampus Öhman-Frölund. Join us as he plays selections from his new solo record, “Motvalsen”! Buy tickets at the door and enjoy this special evening, children attend the concert for free (when accompanied by a paying adult).

“Motvalsen” (2026) is the first drums / percussion solo record from NYC-based Swedish drummer Hampus Öhman-Frölund. Blending acoustic percussion with electronics, samples, and instruments from Sweden, the album explores his experience of leaving home, building a life in New York in his mid-twenties, and finding new ways to engage with his cultural roots in the diaspora. Inspired by the textures and spirit of Scandinavian folk music—without claiming a place within that tradition—Motvalsen presents a deeply personal electro-acoustic meditation on memory, distance, and transnational belonging.

Join us tomorrow, Aug. 28, at 5:30 p.m. for an unforgettable evening with Hampus Öhman-Frölund as he plays selections fr...
08/27/2026

Join us tomorrow, Aug. 28, at 5:30 p.m. for an unforgettable evening with Hampus Öhman-Frölund as he plays selections from his new solo record, “Motvalsen”!

“Motvalsen” (2026) is the first drums / percussion solo record from NYC-based Swedish drummer Hampus Öhman-Frölund. Blending acoustic percussion with electronics, samples, and instruments from Sweden, the album explores his experience of leaving home, building a life in New York in his mid-twenties, and finding new ways to engage with his cultural roots in the diaspora. Inspired by the textures and spirit of Scandinavian folk music—without claiming a place within that tradition—Motvalsen presents a deeply personal electro-acoustic meditation on memory, distance, and transnational belonging.

Save $5 by getting dinner and concert ticket in advance. Concert is $10 and dinner $20 at the door if there is still availability. Menu to come shortly. Dinner can be had as early as 4 p.m.

Children attend the concert for free (when accompanied by a paying adult). Register on the Museum's website at https://swedishamericanmuseum.org/addmultipleeventform/35127.

Address

5211 N Clark Street
Chicago, IL
60640

Opening Hours

Tuesday 10am - 4pm
Wednesday 10am - 4pm
Thursday 10am - 4pm
Friday 10am - 4pm
Saturday 11am - 4pm
Sunday 11am - 4pm

Telephone

(773) 728-8111

Website

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