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| Established | 1926 |
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| Location | Franklin Delano Roosevelt Park,Philadelphia,Pennsylvania, U.S. |
| Coordinates | 39°54′22″N75°10′52″W / 39.906°N 75.181°W /39.906; -75.181 |
| Public transit access |   SEPTA bus:17 |
| Website | www.americanswedish.org |
TheAmerican Swedish Historical Museum is the oldestSwedish-American museum in theUnited States. It is located inFranklin Delano Roosevelt Park inSouth Philadelphia, on part of a historic 17th-centuryland grant originally provided by QueenChristina of Sweden to settlers ofNew Sweden.[1]
It has EIN 23-1417519 as a 501(c)(3) Public Charity; in 2025 it claimed $1,244,598 in total revenue and total assets of $3,737,227.[2]
During 1926, the Swedish-American committee of theSesqui-Centennial International Exposition of 1926 was formed. Noted author and historian,Amandus Johnson was elected to be its president. From this activity grew a committee to plan ways to preserve the memory of theNew Sweden colony which dated to 1638. The New Sweden Tricentennial Association was formed which commissioned and publishedSwedes In America, 1638–1938, a work of historical research which was edited by Adolph B. Benson and Naboth Hedin.[3]
The first national campaign was underway to erect a Swedish Museum in Philadelphia began soon after. On June 2, 1926, Sweden's Crown Prince and future KingGustaf VI Adolf placed the museum's cornerstone. In the fall of 1928,Christian von Schneidau painted the museum's entrance-hall ceiling and wall murals. The formal public dedication of the museum took place on June 28, 1938. This event was set to coordinate with the 300th anniversary of the Swedish arrival on the Delaware shores. SwedishPrince Bertil andPrincess Louise made up the royal party that dedicated the museum.[4]
The building's design is based onEricsberg Castle, a 17th-century manor house inSödermanland, Sweden. The architect, John Nydén, a Swedish-American fromChicago, combined Swedish and American elements by modeling the exterior arcades on those ofMount Vernon. The copper cupola is a copy of the one atopStockholm City Hall. The museum has 12 permanent galleries displaying a broad and interesting collection combining history and culture. Three of the museum's 12 galleries are devoted to the history of theNew Sweden Colony established in theDelaware Valley in 1638. The museum provides a wealth of information about this often unfamiliar period in history. Other galleries, ranging in style from Art Deco to International, concentrate on more recent Swedish contributions.[5][6]
The American Swedish Historical MuseumSpirit of Raoul Wallenberg Humanitarian Award is presented to an individual, individuals or organization who/which has demonstrated a commitment to humanitarianism through acts which achieve a significant contribution, other than money, to alleviate human suffering or injustice, involved sacrifices or risks and are performed without expectation of reward or recognition. The award is named afterRaoul Wallenberg, the Swedish diplomat and his work to save Hungarian Jews duringWorld War II.[citation needed]
The Spirit of Raoul Wallenberg Award consists of a cash prize and a specially designed bowl fromOrrefors, Sweden, which is presented to the award recipient at the award ceremony. Past recipients have includedA. Leon Higginbotham on the basis of his advocacy on behalf of America's children within the legal profession and his human rights efforts inSouth Africa, Dr. William P. Magee, Jr. and Kathleen S. Magee for their work in establishingOperation Smile,Per Anger for his collaboration withRaoul Wallenberg in savingHungarian Jews during World War II and the Reverend Dr. Haruun L. Ruun ofSudan for his efforts to bring peace to the divided state.[7]
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39°54′22″N75°10′52″W / 39.906°N 75.181°W /39.906; -75.181
