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Swedish Cottage

The Swedish Cottage was a schoolhouse built for the 1876 Centennial Exposition in Philadelphia as an example of Swedish building design. Following the Exposition, park designer Frederick Law Olmsted convinced the city to purchase the building and move it to the park. The cottage served as a tool shed and, later, a comfort station before being remodeled as an entomological laboratory. In 1947 the building was redesigned as the home for a traveling marionette company that Parks Commissioner Robert Moses had originally formed in 1939 to perform in playgrounds and local schools. A complete renovation was completed on May 1, 1998, with restoration of the original second floor, seating for 100 patrons, air conditioning and a technically-advanced stage. (References: CentralPark.com, Historic House Trust)

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