Scandinavian Cottages

SCANDINAVIAN COTTAGES AT BALBOA PARK IN SAN DIEGO The House of Pacific Relations in Balboa Park, San Diego, is the home of 17 cottages representing 27 different nations, among them Denmark, Finland, Norway and Sweden. The cottages are open on Sunday afternoons, and from March thru October they take turns holding lawn programs featuring traditional ethnic music and dance, costumes, arts, crafts and food. The legacy of a 1935-1936 exposition, the cottages still provide ethnic groups a place to keep their ancestral cultures alive. The aspiration of the founder of the House of Pacific Relations, *Frank Drugan, was "to provide a natural healthful means of keeping the international mind from going insane under the sordid strain that world events are putting upon it."* Still needed. Click on each picture below to see a larger version.**
HOUSE OF SWEDEN		HOUSE OF DENMARK

HOUSE OF FINLAND

HOUSE OF NORWAY

LINKS AND NOTES House of Denmark House of Finland Scandinavian Midsummer traditions and Photos from the 2007 Midsummer Fest at Balboa Park More Pictures from the 2007 Midsummer fest at Balboa Park (at Vasa District 15 website) Upcoming Lawn Programs History of the exposition and the cottages If you want to visit the cottages, be aware that Balboa Park is a big place with lots of attractions. Here are a couple of maps to help you find your way. Print one out and take it with you. House of Pacific Relations is no. 21 on both Map 1 and Map 2 (pdf). If you need a San Diego map, try the interactive Google map. Even if you don't need one, try this for fun: Use the Hybrid setting that shows a satellite view with street names. Zoom in to the 7th notch from the top. Locate the 163 Freeway and Park Blvd. The area in between them is Balboa Park. Double click on it and the park will be centered on your screen. Now zoom in to the third notch from the top. Look for Presidential Way that leads from Park Blvd towards the cottages. In between the Pan American Road W and the Pan American Road E you can see a cluster of brick roofs. Double click on them so they become centered. Now zoom in to the highest notch and you get a good view of the cottages and the lawn (but no street names).