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On Sunday, Feb. 6, at 1 p.m., the new exhibit Swedish Ladies will open at the Swedish American Museum. This is a selection of 8 paintings by Swedish artist Elisabet Persson, which will be on display from Sunday, Feb. 6 to Sunday, April 17, 2011. Refreshments will be available at this opening. To learn more about the exhibit and the Museum’s other exhibits, please click here.
Herring Breakfast at the Museum in October 2010
The newest edition of Flaggan is in the mail and will arrive soon to our members, but here you may find all programs, classes and events scheduled for the Museum this spring. Highlights include our new exhibits, the traditional Herring Breakfast, concerts and more. To view the Spring 2011 guide, please click here.
Film Thursday on Thursday, Feb. 3, at 1 p.m. and 7 p.m. has been canceled. Film Thursday will resume on Thursday, Feb. 10 at 1 p.m. and 7 p.m.
Catch a free film at the Museum every Thursday in February! The Museum will screen Swedish-American films and documentaries at 1 p.m. and 7 p.m. every Thursday, starting on Thursday, Feb. 10. Snacks will be available at self-cost.
Arts Power Chicago is an initiative of the Arts Alliance Illinois and the League of Chicago Theatres promoting a petition to support the arts and culture in Chicago as a new mayor is elected. The Swedish American Museum encourages you to take part and sign this petition online as a sign of solidarity with many art and culture organizations, programs, and institutions. To sign the petition online or to learn more, please click here.
The Swedish American Museum is now accepting donations to the 
Tantalizing Treasures Sale during regular Museum hours. The Tantalizing Treasures Sale will be held on Saturday, April 2, 2011 from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. at the Museum. Items that may be donated and sold at the sale include furniture and accessories; antiques; Swedish and other collectibles; fine china and crystal; furs and leathers; and more.
To learn more about the Tantalizing Treasures Sale and download a donation form, please click here.
The winter season is always packed with fun and educational programs and events at the Museum, so check out our online calendar by clicking here to schedule your favorite one! You may also sign up for our weekly e-mail blasts and monthly e-mail newsletter by clicking here. It’s easy, free, and delivers the most up-to-date information about the Museum and Museum events!
When we start feeling the chill in the air and begin to see those flakes of snow dancing through the sky, we know the winter holidays—and all the decoration that accompanies them—cannot be far off. If you stopped into the Museum this past holiday season, you may have seen some four-legged straw animals in our display window or on our second floor. These curious creatures are actually one of the oldest Christmas decorations in Sweden—the Christmas Goat, or Yule Goat, which is traditionally made of straw and tied with red ribbons.
Like so many other countries, the winter holiday festivities of Sweden are a mixture of old and new, native and foreign. Many of Sweden’s Christmas traditions are adaptations of customs from the European continental countries—such as the Christmas tree, which was adopted from Germany by Sweden’s upper classes in the 1700s. The tradition eventually trickled down to the farmhouses and became common practice by the turn of the 19th century.
Another idea adopted from the continent, though heavily adapted, was the tradition of Tomten, the Christmas gnome. Before Tomten was widely entrusted with the role of bringing Christmas gifts, the Yule Goat, or Julbock fulfilled that role. It appears that the idea of the Julbock is descended from the association of goats with the Scandinavian god, Thor. Two goats, named Tanngrisnir and Tanngnjóstr, pulled his chariot. Thor had the ability to slaughter these goats to feed his guests and then resurrect them the next morning with his hammer. As a result of this story, goats became associated with renewal and rebirth. Small straw goats were made of the last shafts of the crop from the fall harvest to symbolize the power of rejuvenation in the dark of winter.
The tradition of the Julbock as the bringer of gifts on Christmas Eve began sometime in the 18th century, perhaps because of its association with the winter festivities. A family member would don a goat mask and distribute gifts to the children of the household. After the 1870s, the images of St. Nicholas and Santa Claus flooded into Sweden in the form of German Christmas decorations, and an artist, Jenny Nyström, produced a series of very popular Christmas pictures featuring a little gnome in a red hat as the Christmas gift-giver. These popular images reimagined the Julbock as the helper of Tomten—the gnome is frequently pictured riding a goat or in a sleigh pulled by goats.
Though the Julbock is no longer the centerpiece of Christmas gift-giving lore, the tradition of decorating one’s home and Christmas tree with small straw goats has remained very popular, and is today one of the most recognizable icons of the Swedish Christmas season. If you missed seeing all of our Julbock on display this holiday season, do not worry; the Julbock will be back again next year!
Always wanted to learn how to dance or take your dancing to the next level? If you can walk, you can learn to dance! The Swedish American Museum will host four Scandinavian dance classes with instructors Linda Westergren-Muhr and Paul Muhr every Friday in March from 7:30 p.m. to 10 p.m.
Emphasis on basic dance techniques one step at a time. Beginners learn how to recognize music, connect with your partner, lead and follow. For those with advanced dance abilities, classes build a strong foundation to develop additional dance skills and improve technique. The Hambo, considered Sweden’s National Dance will be on the last class on Friday, March 25.
Attendance at each class not required but highly recommended. Cost per class: $10 members, $15 non-members. Save 25% with all 4 classes $30 members, $45 for non-members. No partner needed and any experience level welcome. If you have any questions, please e-mail Museum@samac.org or call 773.728.8111.
Always wanted to learn how to dance or take your dancing to the next level? If you can walk, you can learn to dance! The Swedish American Museum will host four Scandinavian dance classes with instructors Linda Westergren-Muhr and Paul Muhr every Friday in March from 7:30 p.m. to 10 p.m.
Emphasis on basic dance techniques one step at a time. Beginners learn how to recognize music, connect with your partner, lead and follow. For those with advanced dance abilities, classes build a strong foundation to develop additional dance skills and improve technique. The Hambo, considered Sweden’s National Dance will be on the last class on Friday, March 25.
Attendance at each class not required but highly recommended. Cost per class: $10 members, $15 non-members. Save 25% with all 4 classes $30 members, $45 for non-members. No partner needed and any experience level welcome. If you have any questions, please e-mail Museum@samac.org or call 773.728.8111.
Always wanted to learn how to dance or take your dancing to the next level? If you can walk, you can learn to dance! The Swedish American Museum will host four Scandinavian dance classes with instructors Linda Westergren-Muhr and Paul Muhr every Friday in March from 7:30 p.m. to 10 p.m.
Emphasis on basic dance techniques one step at a time. Beginners learn how to recognize music, connect with your partner, lead and follow. For those with advanced dance abilities, classes build a strong foundation to develop additional dance skills and improve technique. The Hambo, considered Sweden’s National Dance will be on the last class on Friday, March 25.
Attendance at each class not required but highly recommended. Cost per class: $10 members, $15 non-members. Save 25% with all 4 classes $30 members, $45 for non-members. No partner needed and any experience level welcome. If you have any questions, please e-mail Museum@samac.org or call 773.728.8111.
Always wanted to learn how to dance or take your dancing to the next level? If you can walk, you can learn to dance! The Swedish American Museum will host four Scandinavian dance classes with instructors Linda Westergren-Muhr and Paul Muhr every Friday in March from 7:30 p.m. to 10 p.m.
Emphasis on basic dance techniques one step at a time. Beginners learn how to recognize music, connect with your partner, lead and follow. For those with advanced dance abilities, classes build a strong foundation to develop additional dance skills and improve technique. The Hambo, considered Sweden’s National Dance will be on the last class on Friday, March 25.
Attendance at each class not required but highly recommended. Cost per class: $10 members, $15 non-members. Save 25% with all 4 classes $30 members, $45 for non-members. No partner needed and any experience level welcome. If you have any questions, please e-mail Museum@samac.org or call 773.728.8111.
Start with Art is a free early-morning special viewing of the Museum’s new exhibit, Go Swedish! Smörgåsbord and Beyond. The free morning viewing on Wednesday, March 30, starts at 7:30 a.m. and lasts until 10 a.m.
For more information about the exhibit Go Swedish! Smörgåsbord and Beyond , please click here.
The exhibit Go Swedish! Smörgåsbord and Beyond opens at the Swedish American Museum on Wednesday, March 16 from 6 p.m. – 8 p.m. This is a free event, no reservations are necessary.
For more information about the exhibit Go Swedish! Smörgåsbord and Beyond , please click here.
Session II of “Pioneer the World!” day camp is from Monday, Aug. 8 to Friday, Aug. 12, 2011 from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. daily.
This summer, kids can travel the world without ever leaving Chicago! Campers are introduced to the food, customs, folk arts, and cultural identities of four different countries in our “Pioneer the World!” day camp. Families are invited to attend our very own “World’s Fair” on the last day, where campers display their handiwork to the public. Pioneer Camp is always packed with fun and adventure for children ages 7 to 10.
Cost: $175 members, $225 non-members; extended care is available until 4 p.m. for an additional $70. Call the Museum at 773.728.8111, ext 26, to reserve your spot.
Registration deadline for Session II is now closed.
Session I of “Pioneer the World!” day camp is from Monday, July 11 to Friday, July 15, 2011 from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. daily.
This summer, kids can travel the world without ever leaving Chicago! Campers are introduced to the food, customs, folk arts, and cultural identities of four different countries in our “Pioneer the World!” day camp. Families are invited to attend our very own “World’s Fair” on the last day, where campers display their handiwork to the public. Pioneer Camp is always packed with fun and adventure for children ages 7 to 10.
Cost: $175 members, $225 non-members; extended care is available until 4 p.m. for an additional $70. Call the Museum at 773.728.8111, ext 26, to reserve your spot. Registration deadline for Session I is Friday, June 10, 2011 at 4 p.m.
Registration is closed for Session I.
