Discussion overview with Don Ahlm, Docent

Podcast of our tour at the Swedish American Museum. There was a security or medical device present but not identified until played back. The worst was removed.

The Swedish American Museum has been active for 40 years in the heart of Andersonville, a traditionally Swedish area on the north side of Chicago. Andersonville, the “Little Sweden” of Chicago, is one of the most concentrated areas of Swedish heritage in the United States, with Swedish roots dating back to the 19th century. Tourists visit the area continually to sample Swedish food, buy gifts, visit the Museum, and partake in traditional Swedish holidays such as Midsommar and Julmiddag.

Nordic: a Photographic Essay of Landscapes, Food and People by Magnus Nilsson
Open Now until Sunday, Sept. 24

Acclaimed Swedish Chef, cookbook author and photographer, Magnus Nilsson will present an exhibition of his photography at the Swedish American Museum. The large-scale photographs of the Nordic countries, as well as Greenland and the Faroe Islands are drawn from his three year research and over 8000 photos for “The Nordic Cookbook” which includes over 700 recipes. This exhibit invites visitors to discover food as means for sharing heritage and culture.

This exhibit at the Swedish American Museum is made possible by the support of SWEA Chicago, the Swedish Council of America, CityArts and the MacArthur Fund for Arts and Culture at Prince.

This exhibition project was originally produced by the American Swedish Institute in Minneapolis, with support from the Anne Ray Charitable Trust, Barbro Osher Pro Sucia Foundation, and Karin Larson. The catalog was supported by a generous gift from Chuck and Jill Koosmann.

Programs related to this exhibit:

Tuesday, July 11 and August 8, 12 noon: PBS televised showing of “Mind of a Chef,” featuring Magnus Nilsson; viewers are welcome to bring lunches.

Wednesday, July 19, 7 p.m.: Discussion by Ardit Dizdari and Berta Navarro, “We All Come to the Table as a Storytellers.” The two restaurateurs have been conducting Unity in Diversity dinners for immigrant cooks representing several nations.

Wednesday, July 26, 6:30 p.m.: Lecture by author Sharon Biggs Waller on heirloom fruits, vegetables and livestock as historical artifacts.

Sunday, August 13, 12 noon: A family event with FIKA (coffee and pastries) will precede the monthly Scandinavian Jam.

Reservations may be made by calling 773-728-8111 or accessing the web site, www.SwedishAmericanMuseum.org.

The Dream of America: Swedish Immigration to Chicago
Permanent exhibit

This exhibit explores the struggles and triumphs of the Swedish immigrant experience and asks the question: would you leave home today in search of a better tomorrow?
The exhibit follows Swedish immigrants from the arduous journey to the new world to building a life and community in Chicago. It examines topics such as why so many Swedes left their homeland and what they packed for their voyage, as well as careers they chose in the Chicago area and the social lives within their immigrant communities. Visitors will encounter authentic artifacts that reflect the experiences and perspectives of immigrants – from household items they brought from Sweden and travel items such as passports and steamship tickets to memorabilia from Chicago-based Swedish-American organizations and Swedish folk crafts produced in the United States and abroad.

Visitors meet many characters within the exhibit, including, Stina Olofsdotter, who is helping her son prepare for his journey to America in 1868; Karl Karlson, whose family arrives in New York in 1893; and Elin Hedman and her daughter Birgitta who passed through Ellis Island in 1924.

Saturday, August 26, 2017 at 10 AM
Swedish American Museum
5211 North Clark Street, Chicago, IL 60640, 773.728.8111
Parking lot, on the northeast corner of Foster and Ashland. Parking is free, we just ask visitors to sign in at the front desk.
Cost: $3. to the museum

This program is hosted by the Chicago Foodways Roundtable. To reserve, please e-mail: chicago.foodways.roundtable@gmail.com

CulinaryHistorians.org