Address: 5211 N. Clark St. Chicago, Illinois 60640
Telephone: 773.728.8111
Facsimile: 773.728.8870
The Swedish American Museum Center is a nonprofit educational activity center for the celebration and interpretation of Swedish American history and culture.
In 1975, it was the dream of Kurt Mathiasson, one of the leaders of the Andersonville community and a Swedish immigrant, to preserve the Swedish-American heritage in Chicago. The first museum was a small storefront log cabin in which family histories were collected. During the U.S. Bicentennial Year, His Majesty Carl XVI Gustaf, King of Sweden, officially opened the Museum in its original location. In1987 he Museum moved to its current location and underwent a Phase I renovation. The King of Sweden returned to celebrate the new beginnings of the Swedish American Museum Center. In1997 the Museum completed its Phase ll renovation adding new gallery space and the donations of the Nordiska Museet exhibit to its permanent collection and display.
A New Face in Andersonville was completed in May 2009. The renovation has been an exciting project, and it’s only the beginning of transforming the Museum into a more environmentally friendly, energy-efficient space. There is new insulated glass on the first floor storefront and entry; new vestibule (airlock) at the entry to reduce cold drafts into the Museum and the Kerstin Andersson Museum Store; new energy-efficient lighting in the lobby and gallery spaces.
