Kalmar Nyckel: The Forgotten Journey

Kalmar Nyckel: The Forgotten Journey tells the story of Peter Minuit’s extraordinary expedition across the Atlantic aboard an ordinary ship that planted a Swedish colony in North America. The film sheds new light on this significant but overlooked chapter of America’s colonial history. Watch preview.

Filmed on location with today’s Kalmar Nyckel ship and crew, the documentary depicts the epic adventure that launched the colony of New Sweden in the Delaware Valley in 1638. The film features stunning sailing sequences and commentary from some of the world’s leading experts on North American and Swedish maritime and colonial history.

 

In 1638, the Swedish Crown chose to compete with the Dutch and English powers by sending the Kalmar Nyckel across the Atlantic in pursuit of trade relationships and new territories.

 

Kalmar Nyckel: The Forgotten Journey premiered in December 2017 on PBS (WHYY-TV) in Philadelphia and has continued to re-air since. The film premiered in Sweden in January 2019 on SVT, Swedish national television and has been seen by more than 900,000 viewers worldwide.

 

Co-produced by Glass Entertainment Group and the Kalmar Nyckel Foundation, the film was nominated for a 2018 Mid-Atlantic Emmy. This nomination is a testament to its exciting narrative, beautiful cinematography, and rich history.

 

The production team was honored to be included in the highly prestigious and competitive Documentary category. Kalmar Nyckel Foundation shares its gratitude and congratulations with the entire cast, crew, and everyone associated with the film.


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Kalmar Nyckel Sails Again


Authored by Kalmar Nyckel Foundation’s Senior Historian, Sam Heed, this beautiful softbound book was published on the 375th anniversary of the ship’s first voyage to the New World.

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