Gammelgården Museum of Scandia

10/22/2026

Tickets for Luciadagen are officially open! Save your spot now and call the Butik at 651-433-5053 to purchase your seat.

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Our annual Luciadagen celebration is moving to the afternoon this year!

After hearing concerns about early-morning travel in winter weather, including icy roads and unplowed conditions, we’ve decided to move the program to a later time. This change prioritizes safer travel for our visitors, volunteers, and staff while helping us accommodate this year’s staffing limitations.

We know this tradition holds a special place in many hearts, and we appreciate how much it means to our community. While the timing may change, the spirit of Lucia remains the same!

In fact, we have two new songs written by Swedish composers during the program - including one that has never been performed in the United States!

We also will be collecting non-perishable food for the Scandia-Marine Food Shelf (items should have expiration dates beyond July 2027) and eyeglasses for the Scandia-Marine Lions. These service activities build upon the spirit of St. Lucia, and we are excited to be offering them this year.

Thank you for your understanding and for helping us keep our community, volunteers, and staff safe. We can’t wait to celebrate with you!

10/22/2026

Swedish friends: This note was attached to one of the textile artifacts that we are entering into our collections management system. Who can translate what this note says so we can include the translation in the artifact’s record? Thank you for your help!

10/20/2026

Today is a perfect day to work on your scarecrow for the Scarecrow Trail at Gammelgården this weekend.

Bring your completed scarecrow to the Museum on Wednesday, October 21st between 10:15 and 3:45 PM. All the scarecrows will be placed around the Museum grounds for the public to enjoy and vote on this Saturday, October 24th when we’re doing our Trick-or-Treat at Gammelgården event.

10/19/2026

Many thanks to Tia, who recently donated this historic cookbook to Gammelgården. The “Cook Book of Tested Recipes” was published by the Western Chicago District Endowment Fund for the Swedish National Sanatorium in Denver, Colorado.

Members of the Swedish-American community in Chicago compiled the recipes and published the book to raise funds for the Swedish National Sanatorium. The cookbook includes many Scandinavian recipes - Swedish Rye Bread, Danish Layer Cake, Swedish Veal Loaf, and more - and full-page advertisements for Swedish-American businesses in Illinois.

Below are photos from the cookbook showing some of the ads and the recipes. This is the link to the item on MNCollections.org - which is linked to the collections management system Gammelgården uses: https://mncollections.org/Detail/objects/619003

Interested in learning more about the Swedish National Sanatorium? Here's a link to read about it: https://coloradoencyclopedia.org/article/swedish-national-sanatorium

10/18/2026

All remaining items on the Second-hand Swedish Sale are free! Come to the museum today - Sunday, October 18th - until 4 p.m. to help clear the tables!

10/18/2026

10/17/2026

The Second-hand Swedish Sale continues today with significantly reduced prices! Help us clear the tables by purchasing items for yourself, as gifts for the upcoming holidays, hostess gifts, or stocking stuffers.

All proceeds from the sale support the Museum’s programs, events, and the maintenance of its historic buildings.

10/15/2026

Make the Most of MEA Break & Late-October at Gammelgården - https://mailchi.mp/gammelgardenmuseum/mid-october2026 . The mid-October newsletter has been sent to members and subscribers. If you aren't on the mailing list, click on the link and sign up to receive the next issue!