Mar 18th, 2026 - The Swedish Cottage Marionette Theater, tucked into the west side of Central Park near West 79th Street, is set for a $10.4 million renovation, its first major overhaul since 1997. City Parks Foundation is leading the project in partnership with NYC Parks and the Historic House Trust of NYC.
Work will cover restoration of the building's historic exterior and interior, modernization of theatrical infrastructure, mechanical upgrades, accessibility improvements, and sustainability enhancements.
The cottage has a remarkable origin: built in Sweden in 1876 as a pavilion for Philadelphia's Centennial Exhibition, it was purchased by the city at the urging of Central Park co-designer Frederick Law Olmsted and reassembled on its current site in 1877. It became a marionette theater in 1973 and is now approaching 150 years in the park.
Read more from the original article here.