The American Swedish Historical Museum offers a variety of educational programs for all audiences. From school programs, to Swedish language classes to Swedish genealogy, the Museum has something for learners of all ages. 

Take a Trolley Tour of the Philadelphia Navy Yard with Us - 10/2!

Programs for School Children

The American Swedish Historical Museum is dedicated to sharing Scandinavian culture in America-from over 300 years of history in the Delaware Valley to contemporary perspectives on global issues. Choose from a variety of programs for K-12th grades. Field trip programs run for 90 minutes (with options for a more flexible schedule) and include an interactive lesson in Museum galleries and a take home project. Outreach programs last 60 minutes and include hands-on activities with education collection objects and a take home project.

Please email education@americanswedish.org to request a program.

Outreach Lessons

Bring the Museum to your classroom, local library, or recreation center. These fun and interactive presentations allow children to experience part of the Museum collection at your location. Outreach lessons are 60 minutes, for a maximum of 30 children at a time. Programs can be scheduled back to back for larger groups.

Cost: $150 for groups within 20 miles. Additional travel costs apply 21-50 miles away add $50, 51-100 miles away add $100, and 101-150 miles away add $150. Payment is due on the day of your program.

Check back in January 2026 for our outreach program options in alignment with the 2026 CSLP theme: Unearth a Story.

We will offer one storytime program (ages 2-6) and one activity program (ages 6-12).

Bring the Viking Age to your location. Examine reproduction Viking artifacts while learning about Longships, mythology and trade. Create your own Viking rune stone, and learn how to play Viking chess (hnefatafl).

What do you know about Sweden? Get a glimpse into life in Sweden today and some of the traditions that are special to this Nordic nation. From Swedish inventions like Bluetooth technology and Spotify to Swedish environmentalism and recycling to holiday celebrations like St. Lucia Day, this flyover of Swedish life and culture is perfect for students learning about world cultures.

Hosting a multicultural day at your school? Invite ASHM! We'll be happy to bring an abbreviated version of this program to present to students.

Whether they’re big or small, Dala horses are one of the most recognizable symbols of Sweden. Get to know this traditional Swedish art form through a storytime, activities, and a Dala horse art project!

Introduce children to the adventures of Sweden’s favorite storybook hero, Pippi Longstocking. In this fun and interactive program, children will act out Pippi’s antics by becoming “thing finders,” playing Pippi’s games, creating a Dala horse craft.

Celebrate holidays the Swedish way! Even though we may celebrate some of the same holidays in the United States, Swedes have many unique traditions. From Midsommarfest, to Easter, to the Lucia festival before Christmas, children will participate in and discover how Swedish holidays differ from our own. Kids will create their own traditional Swedish woven paper heart to take home.

Hosting a multicultural day at your school? Invite ASHM! We'll be happy to bring an abbreviated version of this program to share with students.

School Groups at ASHM

Plan a field trip with your class to the Museum.

Cost: Onsite programs are $5 per student, with a minimum charge of $50. One adult per 10 children is required; additional adults are $5 per person.

Payment is due the day of your visit.

Programs are free of charge to schools in the School District of Philadelphia

Did you know that the Swedes were the first Europeans to settle the Delaware Valley? This program focuses on the founding and legacy of the New Sweden Colony, established in 1638 along the Delaware River. Using Museum collections and hands-on artifacts, children will explore how and why the settlement began, learn more about Swedish relations with local Native Americans, and experience elements of colonial daily life, like making real butter! Discover what traces of the New Sweden Colony remain today in Philadelphia and the surrounding area - perfect for children studying Pennsylvania, New Jersey or Delaware History.

 

Click here to explore the New Sweden Gallery and map!

Pre-Activity New Sweden Colony194.44 KB
Post-Activity New Sweden Colony392.65 KB
Philadelphia: The Great Experiment Teacher Resources Full Episode- A Lost World (1600-1680)  167.95 KB

Celebrate holidays the Swedish way! Even though we may celebrate some of the same holidays in the United States, Swedes have many unique traditions. From Midsommarfest, to Easter, to the Lucia festival before Christmas, children will participate in and discover how Swedish holidays differ from our own.

The adventures of Sweden’s favorite storybook hero, Pippi Longstocking, come alive at the Museum. Enjoy tales from this beloved children’s series while traveling through the Museum galleries as a “thing-finder”, creating a Dala horse craft, and tasting Pippi’s favorite cookies – pepparkakor.

Participate in a Swedish holiday tradition – the Lucia festival. Lucia, the saint of light, has long been honored on December 13th, the longest night of the year. Children will learn the legend of Lucia, explore Swedish Christmas traditions, and experience the magic of a traditional Lucia procession. Don’t forget your camera!

Take a journey back in time to the age of the Vikings (800-1100 AD). Children will examine a 1,000 year-old sword, dress up in Viking armor, and use hands-on artifacts to discover more about this often misunderstood culture, and how we are still impacted by it today. Highlights include making rune stones and playing Viking chess (hnefatafl).

Pre-Activity Viking Lesson167.11 KB
Post-Activity Viking Lesson196.2 KB

Challenge your navigational skills as you get to know this popular Swedish sport. Participate in an environmental education activity that teaches students how to use a compass and map. Students will take part in a scavenger hunt and record findings in a field journal and then try to make their own maps and compasses.

For high school groups, students will have the opportunity to create and solve their own orienteering course in the Park.

This is an indoor/outdoor program that takes place in the museum and the surrounding Franklin Delano Roosevelt Park.

Pre-Activity Orienteering259.51 KB
Post-Activity Orienteering242.08 KB

Visit ASHM for a hands-on look at ships and shipbuilding from Scandinavia to Philadelphia! Explore And Let Victory Tell the Rest: 250 Years of Shipbuilding in Philadelphia from the US Navy Museum to learn about the history of shipbuilding right here in Philly, and then find out more about Scandinavian ships like the Kalmar Nyckel and the Kungsholm through models and activities in our galleries. Complete a shipbuilding engineering challenge to see if you can build a boat that floats!

Art connects cultures around the world, and the American Swedish Historical Museum is a perfect place to explore the world of art. The museum was built in 1926 and features 12 galleries highlighting traditional and modern artistic Scandinavian styles. Our Art Exploration program is tailored to students at any level. Youngest children will get an introduction to art through activities in galleries, while older students can dig deeper into art concepts and get more background on Scandinavian artists featured in our gallery. At the conclusion of the program children will get to make their own traditional Swedish folk art to take home!  Your group will have exclusive access to the galleries and view one of a kind artworks that link culture and history. From towering ceiling murals to sculpture, glass works, and paintings, ASHM has it all!