American Swedish Institute facts for kids
The main buildings of the American Swedish Institute
|
|
| Lua error in Module:Location_map at line 420: attempt to index field 'wikibase' (a nil value). | |
| Former name | American Institute for Swedish Arts, Literature and Science |
|---|---|
| Established | 1929 |
| Location | 2600 Park Avenue, Minneapolis, Minnesota |
The American Swedish Institute (ASI) is a museum and cultural center in Minneapolis, Minnesota. It helps people learn about the history and culture of Sweden and Swedish Americans. The museum has two main parts: the old Swan Turnblad Mansion (built in 1908) and the newer Nelson Cultural Center (built in 2012).
Today, ASI is a place where everyone can learn about culture, migration, nature, and art. It keeps strong connections to Sweden. The museum shows cool exhibits from Sweden and other Nordic countries. It also has fun programs for kids and families. Plus, you can enjoy live performances. The museum's restaurant, FIKA, was even named "Best Lunch In Minnesota" in 2013 for its tasty Nordic food.
Contents
History of the American Swedish Institute
The American Swedish Institute is located in a beautiful old mansion. This house was built for a Swedish immigrant couple, Swan and Christina Turnblad. Swan Turnblad came to the United States with his family in 1868 when he was eight years old. His parents left their farm in Småland, Sweden, because of a famine. The family settled in a Swedish community called Vasa in southern Minnesota.
Swan Turnblad did not want to be a farmer like his parents. In 1879, he moved to Minneapolis. There, he became very successful, like a "rags-to-riches" story. He first worked as a typesetter for Swedish language newspapers. This led him to become the owner of the Svenska Amerikanska Posten newspaper.
Under Swan's leadership, the newspaper grew a lot. Its weekly circulation went from 1,400 to over 40,000 copies! This newspaper was probably how Swan Turnblad became so wealthy. He was a strong manager and used the best printing machines. He was the first Swedish publisher in America to use a Linotype machine. In 1903, his paper was also the first Swedish paper to use a special color printing press. This allowed it to have color pictures.
Building the Turnblad Mansion
In Minneapolis, Swan met Christina Nilsson. She also came from Sweden with her family. Her family settled in Worthington, Minnesota, in 1876 when Christina was 15. She worked hard, learning English and gaining experience. In 1882, Christina moved to Minneapolis. She met Swan at a Good Templar meeting. They got married in 1883, and their only child, Lillian Zenobia, was born a year later.
In the early 1900s, the Turnblads started planning their huge mansion. They traveled to Europe many times. These trips likely inspired the mansion's grand castle-like style and fancy inside designs. They bought the land on Park Avenue in 1903. The Minneapolis architects Christopher A. Boehme and Victor Cordella drew up the plans.
The house took almost five years to build. The Turnblads paid for everything as they went, so they did not need a loan. There are no records of how much it cost. But when the museum opened in 1929, the Minneapolis Tribune newspaper said it likely cost around $1 million.
From Home to Museum
The mansion became a museum in 1929. The Turnblad family gave their home and newspaper to start the American Institute for Swedish Arts, Literature and Science. This name was later changed to the American Swedish Institute. Swan Turnblad had always planned for his home to be a Swedish-American center. He once said, "many persons may have wondered what a small family like ours... wanted with so big a house. Perhaps they can guess now."
The mansion is now on the National Register of Historic Places. This means it is an important historical building. It is recognized for its special architecture, art, and educational value. In 1995, the second floor of the mansion was fixed up. Damaged plaster and gold leaf were repaired. This work won an award for preserving history.
In 2012, ASI opened a new building called the Nelson Cultural Center. It is about 34,000 square feet. This addition was designed by HGA Architects from Minneapolis. It has new art galleries, a craft workshop, a glass-enclosed entrance, a gift shop, and the FIKA restaurant. It also has spaces for concerts, talks, and community events. King Carl XVI Gustaf and Queen Silvia of Sweden officially opened the new building.
Exhibits at ASI
The American Swedish Institute often has interesting exhibits. Here are some examples:
- The Watercolor Worlds of Lars Lerin: This exhibit showed paintings by Lars Lerin. He is a modern Nordic artist known for his detailed and artistic watercolors.
- Nordic: A Photographic Essay of Landscapes, Food and People: This featured photos by Magnus Nilsson, a chef who has won a special award called a Michelin Star.
- Eight Seasons in Sápmi, the Land of the Sámi People: This exhibit explored the art and culture of the Sami people. They live in the northern parts of Sweden, Norway, Finland, and Russia.
- Papercut! The Incredible Psaligraphy of Karen Bit Vejle: This exhibit displayed 54 amazing paper creations.
- Nobel Creations: This showed fancy clothing designs from students at Beckmans College of Design. These designs were on loan from the Nobel Museum in Stockholm, Sweden.
Annual Christmas Exhibit
Since the 1950s, ASI has had special Christmas displays. They show how Christmas is celebrated in different Scandinavian countries. Each room in the mansion is decorated to look like a different country: Sweden, Norway, Finland, Iceland, and Denmark. Sometimes, the museum adds a "guest country." For example, in 2014, they had a Navidad room from Mexico. In 2015, they showed a Russian Christmas room.
See also
