Discover highlights, artifacts, and personal stories from the exhibit on the new We Are America website. 

We Are America explores Swedish immigration to Chicago. There are environmental displays such as the deck of a steamship, a 19th century Swedish stuga, an early 20th century Swedish-American woodshop, and a mid-century Swedish-American kitchen. Through a range of artifacts, images, and interactives, visitors will learn about the lives Swedish immigrants built in the U.S. Personal stories are highlighted to help tell this immigration story. You will meet Elin and Birgitta Hedman, a mother and daughter who stayed overnight at Ellis Island waiting for Elin’s husband. You'll also learn about Thor Rydholm, a Swedish-American from Lee Country, Illinois who served in the U.S. military during World War I, and Anna Elisabet Martinsson, who traveled to America by herself in 1925. There are a variety of interactives in the exhibit, aimed at engaging all ages and audiences. We Are America also invites visitors to compare this story with others from Chicago. We worked with partners from the Chicago Cultural Alliance, to feature immigration stories submitted by the Japanese American Service Committee, Korean Cultural Center of Chicago, Ukrainian Institute of Modern Art, Dominican-American Midwest Association, and the Chicago Japanese American Historical Society.

Many people brought family photos with them on the journey. We invite you to submit your own family photo using the link below.

Submit photos to our Family Photo Wall.

All of our exhibits are wheelchair accessible. We have subtitles in English and Swedish in our core exhibit video elements. Spanish coming soon.