The American Swedish Historical Museum in South Philadelphia is the oldest Swedish Museum in the United States. Founded in 1926, the Museum has been dedicated to preserving and promoting Swedish and Swedish-American cultural heritage and traditions for nearly 80 years. The Museum is a place where Swedes, Swedish-Americans, and people of all nationalities who appreciate Swedish contributions to history, art, architecture, music, science and technology can come together.

The beautiful Museum building was designed by the Swedish-American architect John Nyden. The inspiration came from Eriksberg Slott, a 17th-century mansion in Sweden, and Mount Vernon, George Washington’s home in Virginia. On June 2, 1926, Sweden’s Crown Prince Gustav Adolf placed the Museum’s cornerstone. By October the following year the construction was nearly finished.
Read more about the history of the Museum >>

The Museum is located in Franklin Delano Roosevelt Park in South Philadelphia, near the sports complexes. The Museum today consists of 12 permanent galleries, one changing exhibition gallery, and a library.

Come and try Genline, the Web-based application that provides access to digitized images of Swedish Church Records. If you have Swedish ancestors that emigrated to North America during the peak years between 1881 and 1890, you can theoretically and reasonably find 500 or more ancestors in these records.


The Museum is open Tuesday - Friday between 10 and 4. Saturday and Sunday between noon and 4.
See admission information >>


The Museum is now handicapped accessible with the addition of our new elevator!


Please call 215-389-1776 ahead of time to get access to the handicap entrance.


If you wish to be kept informed about what is happening in and with the Museum, please join our mailing list:

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Harmony by Charles Allmond

Upcoming events


Exhibition
Charles Allmond: Second Nature

Now showing!

Auxiliary Luncheon
May 8

Midsommarklubben Meeting
May 13

Dr. Ed Cook Lecture on
Climate Change

May 15

Viking Day
May 31

Swedish National Day Open House
June 6

Midsommarklubben Meeting
June 10

Midsommarfest
June 21

See the Calendar >>

News

ASHM presented grant from the City of Philadelphia


Eighty-first ASHM Annual Meeting

In the Footsteps of Linnaeus article from New York Times Travel section


Count Peder Bonde receives the 2007 Outstanding Achievement Award

Sweden celebrates Linnaeus's 300th birthday in a big way!


To the Newsroom >>

Related Sites

See links to related websites in the Delaware Valley, the US, and in Sweden >>


Photograph credits
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