Collection

The Swedish American Museum thrives on the generosity of donors and volunteers. Nearly all of the artifacts in our collections have been donated by individuals, businesses and organizations. The Swedish American Museum collects items that contribute to the narrative we tell about immigration, the Swedish communities here in North America, and Swedish and Swedish-American culture.

We have artifacts of all types, including archival material, photographs, domestic items, textiles, decorative and fine art. Items accepted into our permanent collection are used for display and research only. We also have an education collection of artifacts for use in hands-on programming in the Brunk Children’s Museum, a library collection for on-site research and a properties and furnishings collection for building decoration and display props.

If you would like to make a donation to our collection, please click here to review our collections policy. Frequently asked questions about artifact donation can be found here.

If you have any questions about the Museum’s collections or would like to set up a research appointment, please contact us at museum@samac.org or 773-728-8111.