American Swedish Institute exhibits the life of Swedish in America

The American Swedish Institute is a historic house, museum and cultural center located near downtown Minneapolis. The institute was founded in 1929 by Swedish immigrant Swan J. Turnblad. Many of the rooms in the Turnblad mansion, which houses the museum, are an example of cateau-esque architecture from the early 20th century. The mansion stands as a blend of period rooms and exhibit galleries for the benefit of visitors.

Exhibits at the institute have included; 17 Swedish Designers, which features the work of seventeen young, progressive, contemporary women. This exhibit showcases fields such as glass, ceramics, textiles, furniture, industrial, interior and graphic design. 80 Years Young: The American Swedish Institute celebrated the 80th Anniversary of the institute and included a special exhibit on the history of the institute and to show that the institute is still focused on the community. This exhibit includes archival materials such as newspaper articles, formal dinner menus' and photos.

Located on the third floor is the history of Swedish life in the twin cities. This exhibit includes personal diaries, family photos, maps and other artifacts from the institute's collection. The collection shows why immigrants left Sweden, how they arrived in Minnesota and how they settled into neighborhoods. There is a story of Jacob Fahlstrom told by Fredrike Bremer, which accounts his journal to Minnesota. The Swedish-American Theater features vaudeville performers and there are many craft traditions on display.

Tours of the institute are offered and packages are available for groups. The Mansion Tour allows visitors to view the 33-room mansion, view the detailed wood carvings and hand-crafted Swedish tile stoves, and learn about the Turnblad family, the art and architecture of the mansion and early Minneapolis. At Christmas the mansion is decorated in true Scandinavian style.

The Artisan's Tour looks at the craftsmanship to build the mansion in a hands-on tour by handling plaster, tile, stone and some of the tools used to complete the home. The Garden Tour takes visitors around the master garden to learn the creative process of how the garden was designed to reflect the Swedish, American and French influences of the mansions. The Exhibit tour will take visitors through the house to explore in depth with a trained curator.

Food packages are able to be added for tour groups, these options are; the Smorgasbord is a classic three-course Swedish buffet and is the most popular package with visitors. Visitors will start the meal with Swedish breads, cheeses, caviar cream eggs, herring and pickled beets. They will then have potato sausage rounds, Swedish meatballs and dessert is rice pudding with lingo berries and a traditional Swedish ginger cookie pepparkakor.

Visitors are also able to choose from the Soup and Sandwich package where they will receive smorgas, a traditional open-faced sandwich and a cup of soup, dessert and coffee. Swedish Cuisine Demonstration of the institute's chef demonstrating the art of creating the smorgas, along with soup, dessert and coffee or Fika, which is the Swedish word for gathering of friends over hot coffee and treats or Just Dessert, which is Swedish spice cake with pearl sugar and whipped cream and a coffee.

Hands-on Lessons are available for visitors to attend, which include; Swedish Immigrant Trunk, is a hands-on presentation of an immigrant trunk filled with objects from the late 19th century. Christmastime in Sweden includes many special Swedish foods and a visit from Jultomten who is the Swedish Christmas elf or A Year of Holiday Traditions, which explains the different holiday traditions that they have in Sweden.