Scandinavia House – The Nordic Center in America facts for kids
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Scandinavia House
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| Established | 2000 |
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| Location | 58 Park Avenue Manhattan, New York 10016 United States |
| Architect | James Stewart Polshek of Ennead Architects |
| Public transit access | Subway:   trains at 33rd Street  trains and  train at Grand Central–42nd StreetBus: M1, M2, M3, M34, M34A, M42, M101, M102, M103 |
Scandinavia House – The Nordic Center in America is a special place in New York City. It is located at 58 Park Avenue in Manhattan. This center helps share the history and culture of the Scandinavian and Nordic countries in the United States. It does this through art shows, design exhibits, and performances. You can also learn Scandinavian languages and customs here!
The building was designed by architect James Stewart Polshek. It opened in 2000. Important guests like King Carl XVI Gustaf and Queen Silvia of Sweden were there. Also, Princess Victoria of Sweden, Princess Martha Louise of Norway, and Princess Benedikte of Denmark attended the opening.
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Scandinavia House opened in 2000. It was created by the American-Scandinavian Foundation (ASF). This was the first time ASF had its own permanent home. Before this, they moved around for ten years. The new building cost about $13 million to build.
Since it opened, more than 1.5 million people have visited. The president of ASF, Edward P. Gallagher, said it is a "fully public building." This means it is open for everyone to enjoy.
Scandinavia House offers many programs. These programs show the culture of Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway, and Sweden. You can see art shows, watch films, and enjoy concerts. There are also talks, language classes, and fun activities for children.
The Building's Design
The Scandinavia House building has a modern look. It was designed by Polshek Partnership Architects, now called Ennead Architects. It has six floors above ground and two floors below. The building is about 50 feet wide.
The design uses simple Scandinavian style. The outside is made of gray and light blue zinc and glass. The goal was to show off Scandinavian building materials and new technology. The building also has open spaces that can be changed easily.
Scandinavia House includes several important areas:
- The Victor Borge Hall for shows and talks.
- A gallery on the 3rd Floor for art exhibits.
- The Heimbold Family Children's Learning Center for kids' activities.
- The Halldór Laxness Library for reading and learning.
Lower Level: Victor Borge Hall
The Victor Borge Hall is a modern space. It has great Scandinavian design and new technology. It can seat 168 people. This hall hosts many events. These include talks, presentations, concerts, and movie screenings.
Main Floor: Welcome Area and Cafe
The F. Donald Kenney Reception Area and Taplin Café is on the main floor. It is a large space, about 2,200 square feet. This area has a restaurant called Smörgås Chef. The space is open and clear, with views of Park Avenue. People inside can see the street, and people outside can see into the building. This is a common modern design.
Near the entrance, there is a small gift shop. It sells Scandinavian design items, souvenirs, and sweets. There is also a back area with clothing, jewelry, books, and textiles.
Second Floor: Volvo Hall and Terrace
The Volvo Hall is a bright and exciting space. It has glass walls on both sides, looking out onto Park Avenue. It also has a garden terrace outside. This terrace has stone and wood details. It is a nice spot for outdoor parties or breaks during meetings.
Volvo Hall can hold up to 250 guests for parties. It can seat 120 people for dinner. This hall is used for fashion shows, presentations, and official events. It also hosts social and educational programs from ASF. There is also an outdoor Wallenius terrace for guests in the summer.
Third Floor: Art Galleries
The Stolt-Nielsen, Gundersen, Ginsberg, and Leif Hoegh Galleries are on this floor. They are used for showing the best Scandinavian art. You can see paintings, sculptures, photography, and design. Past exhibits have shown famous Nordic artists like Edvard Munch. There have also been group shows with art from all Nordic countries. These exhibits often have related talks, films, and art workshops.
Fourth Floor: Library and Kids' Center
The Halldór Laxness Library is designed in classic Scandinavian design. Large windows look out onto Park Avenue. You can see many New York landmarks from here. Computers with internet are available. There is also a small area for reading.
The Heimbold Family Children's Playing and Learning Center is also on this floor. It is open during the week for members. On Saturdays, it is open to everyone.
Fifth and Sixth Floors: Offices and Meeting Rooms
The offices for the American-Scandinavian Foundation and Scandinavia House are on the fifth and sixth floors. These floors also have meeting rooms. These include the Statoil and Teekay Conference Rooms. There is also the Barbro Osher Pro Suecia Foundation Seminar Room.
Smorgas Chef Restaurant
The Smorgas Chef is a restaurant located on the first floor of Scandinavia House. It is run by Morten Sohlberg. This restaurant uses ingredients from its own farm. The farm is called Blenheim Hill Farm in Catskills. It has been growing food since the 1740s.
Scandinavia House gets money from many people and groups. There are up to 300 donors from the U.S. and other countries. These include individuals, companies, and foundations. The Nordic governments and the Nordic Council of Ministers also help.
Scandinavia House is managed by the American-Scandinavian Foundation (ASF). ASF was started by Niels Poulson. He was a Danish-American who owned a successful iron company. In 1910, he created ASF. It is a non-profit group that gets public funding.
ASF helps cultural activities by giving money for scholarships, grants, and internships. It also publishes materials. ASF was one of the first groups to help build cultural connections between countries.
A group of trustees from the U.S. and Scandinavia leads the Foundation. They all have ties to the Scandinavian countries. The leaders of the five Nordic countries are also patrons of the organization. These include Carl XVI Gustaf of Sweden, Harald V of Norway, Frederik X of Denmark, Guðni Thorlacius Jóhannesson, and Sauli Ninistö.
