Swedish American Museum

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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.

10/15/2026

Visit the Swedish American Museum ins Andersonville, Chicago to see our wonderful exhibits and explore Swedish American culture and history!

Our core exhibit, "We Are America" featuring the story of Swedish immigration to the United States with a focus on Chicago. Also within this exhibit, we tell the stories of the immigrant experience from the perspective of our partner organizations within the Chicago Cultural Alliance.

We have two rotating exhibits, in our main gallery is "50 Years at the Swedish American Museum: Honoring our Roots, Cultivating Tomorrow" an in-house exhibit reflecting on the legacy that the Museum has built over the past 50 years and looking ahead to the future. In the Raoul Wallenberg Gallery is "Unsettled Clay" featuring artwork by Carl Mankert exploring the expressive potential of clay – one of humanity’s oldest creative materials – through a contemporary lens.

The third floor of the Museum is Brunk Children’s Museum of Immigration a fully interactive exhibit that invites children and visitors of all ages to explore the 19th century immigration journey from Sweden to the United States.

The Museum also hosts the Kerstin Andersson Museum Store. Browse our selection of home décor, traditional handicrafts, kitchen items, books, toys, games, apparel, jewelry, and more. We also carry a variety of Swedish food and candy, including herring, cheese, jams, Lefse, licorice, and hard-to-find staples such as Kalles Kaviar and Gothenburg sausage.

Mormors Cafe has fresh baked goods, all made in-house at the Museum, alongside weekly lunch specials and delicious Swedish Coffee. Order food online to bring to your next party or pre-order some treats for any events you host at the Museum at www.swedishamericanmuseum.org/form/cafe-orders.

Keep an eye out for all our upcoming events on the Museum's calendar at www.swedishamericanmuseum.org/calendar or our upcoming Holiday Events at www.swedishamericanmuseum.org/holidays-at-the-museum.

Collection Items Featured:
Travel the World
1995/76:32A
2026.3.8
Moving Certificates (Flyttningsbevis)
2025.1.2H
2025.1.2Y
2025.1.3AS
2025.1.6Y
2025.1.6Z
2025.1.9E
2025.1.12.AA
Explore Culture
1994/31:1
2003.43.1
2009.48.7A40
Ponder Art
2009.48.7A29
2024.1.37
2026.1.17AK1
Discover History
2005.60.9
2009.48.7A18
2026.3.43

Join us on Sunday, Oct 25, at 4 p.m. for a wonderful concert of Swedish and Swedish-American songs performed by Chicago ...
10/15/2026

Join us on Sunday, Oct 25, at 4 p.m. for a wonderful concert of Swedish and Swedish-American songs performed by Chicago Swedish Mixed Chorus. Tickets are sold at the door, but you can register in advance on our website at https://swedishamericanmuseum.org/product/35210.

The Chicago Swedish Male Chorus was organized in 1938 as a result of a merger of three independent singing groups, Harmoni, Bellman, and De Svenske. Records show that the oldest Harmoni participated in the American Union of Swedish Singers (A.U.S.S.) festival in 1905. The new chorus consisted of 53 active singers who first performed in concert on March 19, 1939. The chorus joined the A.U.S.S. in 1946. In 1948, it affiliated with the Verdandi Club of Chicago. In 1995, the chorus began holding practices at the Swedish-American Museum. When the Orphei and Svithiod singing clubs disbanded, some of the members joined the Chicago Swedish Male Chorus. In 2017, the Chicago Swedish Male Chorus invited women to join and became the Chicago Swedish Mixed Chorus.

EVENT POSTPONED, STAY TUNED FOR A NEW DATE.Join us in watching the documentary “Kings of Kubb” followed by questions and...
10/14/2026

EVENT POSTPONED, STAY TUNED FOR A NEW DATE.

Join us in watching the documentary “Kings of Kubb” followed by questions and answers with BJ and Steve who will join us virtually. A soup dinner will be served at the event.

About the film
What is Kubb?
Only the greatest game you’ve maybe never heard of… It’s not quite bowling. It’s not quite bags. And it’s far more than “throwing sticks at blocks.” When the Nordic lawn game arrived in the United States, American players quickly discovered that—even with skill, strategy, and mental toughness—kubb can break your heart… or heal it.
KINGS OF KUBB follows four elite competitors, each willing to risk everything for a shot at the U.S. National Kubb Championship, held in the Kubb Capital of North America (Eau Claire, WI). As the stakes rise on the pitch, real-world pressures beyond it reveal a powerful story of legacy, rivalry, and the fragile line between friendship and ambition. What does it cost to be the best? And how high a price will one pay to be crowned the King of Kubb?

Watch the trailer here: https://kinema.com/films/kings-of-kubb-pi0n9
This event takes place tomorrow, Oct 15, at 6 p.m. Buy your tickets at the door!

If you recognize a person or location in one of our published photo records, or if you have more information to share ab...
10/14/2026

If you recognize a person or location in one of our published photo records, or if you have more information to share about a particular organization, you can share that information with the Museum via a quick form.

Share your information through the form on the Museum's collection page at www.swedishamericanmuseum.org/collection. 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 hosting a Book Talk with Nichole Accettola on Tuesday, Oct 27, at 6 p.m. This is a free event and knife sh...
10/14/2026

The Museum is hosting a Book Talk with Nichole Accettola on Tuesday, Oct 27, at 6 p.m. This is a free event and knife sharpening for up to two knives per guest. Cookbook will be for sale at the event. Register in advance at https://swedishamericanmuseum.org/product/35212.

Join a conversation with Nichole Accettola and Chandra Ram as they introduce Nichole's new cook book "Scandinavian Everyday: Vibrant, Simple Meals from Northern Europe"

Following up on her award-winning debut, Scandinavian from Scratch, Nichole returns with another taste of Scandinavia. This time, she celebrates contemporary Scandinavian cooking through approachable, unfussy recipes inspired by her time in Denmark (15 years) and neighboring Sweden and Norway. She turns her attention to the simple, vibrant meals of everyday life: food that nourishes and fuels us, and reminds us that even the most ordinary cooking can be both meaningful and deeply satisfying. Rooted in the principles of the Nordic Diet—seasonality, whole foods, nourishment, and care for the planet—the dishes balance flavor and real-life practicality while a spirit of creativity and resourcefulness runs throughout.

Chandra Ram is an award-winning writer, editor, cookbook author, and trend-spotter who covers food and culture for Food & W**e, Saveur, Chicago magazine, and other publications. She publishes Another Bite with Chandra Ram on Substack, after spending 20 years working in media as the food director of Food & W**e and the editor-in-chief of Plate. Chandra’s books were nominated for James Beard and IACP awards, and she has been featured in the New York Times, Good Morning America, and on Splendid Table. She was named IACP Member of the Year and received the McAllister Editorial Fellowship, and has received writing awards from Jesse H. Neal, Folio, and the Association of Food Journalists.

About the knife sharpening: The Swedish knife-sharpening company Tormek has its US office in Chicago. They offer complimentary knife sharpening for up to two knives per registered guest.

Join Maria Scharffenberg, mobile priest for North America, on Saturday, Oct. 24, 4 p.m. as she talks about the roots of ...
10/13/2026

Join Maria Scharffenberg, mobile priest for North America, on Saturday, Oct. 24, 4 p.m. as she talks about the roots of the All Saints' tradition and how a holiday characterized by the worship of saints has become a time when we remember and honor those who have gone before us. "All Saints' – from the worship of saints to a festival of remembrance" is a free event looking at All Saints' Weekend, one of Sweden's largest church holidays. How did the tradition emerge, and how has it changed through history? Register on our website at https://swedishamericanmuseum.org/product/35264

Join us for One Artists Journey with Tony Warren, an online lecture this Saturday, Oct. 17, at 2 p.m. Register for this ...
10/13/2026

Join us for One Artists Journey with Tony Warren, an online lecture this Saturday, Oct. 17, at 2 p.m. Register for this free event to get the Zoom link: https://swedishamericanmuseum.org/product/35213

This story begins in Ockelbo, Sweden, in 2009, where Artist Tony Warren ran a summer café and studio. He created a symbolic still life as a personal tribute to Crown Princess Victoria and Daniel, but what followed was entirely unexpected. Visitors began asking if they could be part of the project, and a spontaneous grassroots initiative slowly took shape. Over time, around 600 people became involved in supporting the creation of the painting as a gift for the Crown Princess Couple.

Artist Tony Warren will discuss the journey from the initial idea and the creation of the painting to its presentation at the Royal Palace, while also exploring an unforeseen element: the symbolism that emerged in the piece despite never being consciously planned during the composition. After the café season ended in 2009, Warren began to investigate the meaning of the objects, colors, and composition through both classical Western symbolism and Sámi symbolism. The Sámi interpretation contained elements relating to a life cycle and could not be assessed immediately; around fifteen years had to pass before it became clear how this symbolism related to actual events. During the presentation, Warren will share this remarkable process and reveal what the symbolism showed.

For Warren, it feels especially meaningful to tell this story in Chicago, the city where his artistic career began. He studied for four years at the School of Representational Art under Bruno Surdo and lived at the time in Geneva, outside Chicago. After completing his studies, Warren moved back to Sweden, where his career eventually led into official and royal contexts. Returning to Chicago to share the story of Tillgivenhet brings the journey full circle.

MORE INFORMATION ABOUT TONY HERE: https://swedishamericanmuseum.org/product/www.tonywarren.art

Join us for Unlocking Swedish Family Connections with DISBYT an Online Genealogy Lecture with Speaker Charlotte Börjesso...
10/12/2026

Join us for Unlocking Swedish Family Connections with DISBYT an Online Genealogy Lecture with Speaker Charlotte Börjesson on Saturday, Oct. 24, at 10 a.m.

Are you searching for Swedish ancestors but struggling to connect family lines or locate missing relatives? Join us for an informative Zoom presentation by Charlotte Börjesson as she introduces DISBYT, one of the most valuable resources available for Swedish genealogical research.

DISBYT is a service provided by DIS, a non-profit Swedish genealogy organization founded in 1980 to support family historians through computer technology, collaboration, and education. The organization works closely with archives and genealogical societies to help researchers discover and preserve their family histories.

During this presentation, Charlotte will explain how DISBYT's extensive database can help researchers:

Trace Swedish ancestors and family connections
Locate information contributed by other genealogists researching the same families
Access valuable tools and resources for Swedish genealogy
Collaborate with a network of fellow researchers
Expand and verify family trees through shared research

Charlotte has decades of genealogical research experience and extensive knowledge of both Swedish and American research resources. She is an active member of Vasa Order of America, Augustana’s Swenson Center Swedish American Genealogist (SAG Workshops in Salt Lake City) the Computer Genealogy Society of Sweden (DIS) and she specializes in research in western Sweden, computer-assisted genealogy, and photography.

Whether you are a beginning genealogist or an experienced researcher, this presentation will provide practical guidance on using one of Sweden's most powerful collaborative genealogy tools.

Register today and connect with your Swedish heritage. Registration is through the Museum's website at https://swedishamericanmuseum.org/product/35198.

Visit the Museum to see "50 Years at the Swedish American Museum: Honoring our Roots, Cultivating Tomorrow" in our main ...
10/12/2026

Visit the Museum to see "50 Years at the Swedish American Museum: Honoring our Roots, Cultivating Tomorrow" in our main gallery until Sunday, Nov. 29, 2026! Pictured here is Lars Gillis, a Swedish muralist, painting the Children's Museum at the Swedish American Museum, 2001.

This special display will highlight and honor the past 50 years of community at the Swedish American Museum. Since 1976, the Museum has been a cultural anchor for generations of Swedish Americans and a welcoming space for all to explore and reflect on the immigrant experience. This exhibit reflects on the journey: the visionary founders who brought the Museum to fruition, the milestones that shaped our growth against the backdrop of Chicago’s Andersonville neighborhood, and the staff, volunteers, artists, scholars, and visitors who breathed life into it. As we celebrate the Swedish American Museum’s golden anniversary, we invite you to look both backwards and forwards with us; to reflect on the legacy that the Museum has built over the past 50 years and look ahead to the future.

If you're unable to see our exhibit in person, visit our online collection and check out our newly digitized Institutional Archives. Look at photos, programs, and invitations from the early days of the Swedish American Museum.

If you recognize a person or location in one of our published photo records, or if you have more information to share about a particular organization, you can share that information with the Museum via a quick form.

Share your information through the form on the Museum's collection page at www.swedishamericanmuseum.org/collection. Visit our online collection at catalogit.app/swedish-american-museum to see these and over 3,000 other artifacts and items of interest.

Accession # 2026.5.5P

Stop by the Museum for a fika in our Café and enjoy the nice weather by taking a seat in our Courtyard.
10/11/2026

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

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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