American Swedish Institute

Last updated
American Swedish Institute
American Swedish Institute 2015.jpg
The main buildings of the American Swedish Institute
USA Minnesota location map.svg
Red pog.svg
Location within Minnesota
Usa edcp location map.svg
Red pog.svg
American Swedish Institute (the United States)
Former name
American Institute for Swedish Arts, Literature and Science
Established1929 (1929)
Location2600 Park Avenue, Minneapolis, Minnesota
Coordinates 44°57′18″N93°15′57″W / 44.95500°N 93.26583°W / 44.95500; -93.26583
Website asimn.org
Swan Turnblad House
American Swedish Institute.jpg
The Swan Turnblad House viewed from the southeast
Coordinates 44°57′18.7″N93°15′57″W / 44.955194°N 93.26583°W / 44.955194; -93.26583
AreaLess than one acre
Built1903–10
ArchitectBoehme & Cordella
Architectural style Châteauesque
NRHP reference No. 71000436 [1]
Added to NRHPAugust 26, 1971

The American Swedish Institute (ASI) is a museum and cultural center in the Phillips West neighborhood of Minneapolis, Minnesota, United States. The organization is dedicated to the preservation and study of the historic role Sweden and Swedish Americans have played in US culture and history. The museum complex includes the Swan Turnblad Mansion, completed in 1908, and the adjoining Nelson Cultural Center, completed in 2012.

Contents

Today, ASI serves as a gathering place for all people to share experiences around themes of culture, migration, the environment and the arts, informed by enduring links to Sweden. The museum offers exhibitions from Sweden and the Nordic region, programming for youth and family, and in recent years, has expanded its performing arts offerings. The museum's restaurant, FIKA, was named "Best Lunch In Minnesota" by the Star Tribune in 2013 for its New Nordic cuisine. [2]

History

The American Swedish Institute is housed in a turn-of-the-20th-century mansion that was built for Swedish immigrants Swan and Christina Turnblad. Swan Turnblad immigrated with his family to the United States in 1868 at the age of eight. His parents made the decision to leave their farm in the famine-ridden area of Småland, Sweden. The family settled in a Swedish community called Vasa in southern Minnesota where they joined relatives who had settled in the area earlier.[ citation needed ]

Swan Turnblad was not content to continue in the family farming tradition. In 1879, Turnblad left Vasa for Minneapolis where he lived the quintessential rags-to-riches American success story. After he moved to Minneapolis, Turnblad worked at several Swedish language newspapers as a typesetter. His interest in the printing industry eventually led to his success as publisher of the Swedish language newspaper Svenska Amerikanska Posten. Within ten years he was the sole owner. Under his management, circulation of the weekly paper soared to over 40,000, a substantial increase from the 1,400 it initially claimed. This publication was likely the principal source of Turnblad's wealth.[ citation needed ]

The success of the paper was a result of Turnblad's aggressive management style, as well as the large numbers of Swedish immigrants who supported it. He created a technically advanced newspaper by using the best printing equipment available. He was the first Swedish publisher in America to set his paper by Linotype machine. In 1903, Svenska Amerikanska Posten became the first Swedish language paper to use a duplex rotary color printing press, enabling the creation of color illustrations.[ citation needed ]

In Minneapolis, Swan met and married Christina Nilsson. She, like Turnblad, had come to America from Sweden with her family. Her family settled in Worthington, Minnesota, in 1876 when Christina was 15. Her first job in America paid no wages, but gave her work experience and English language training. Later she worked as a waitress for one year. In 1882, Christina moved to Minneapolis where she met the young newspaperman at a Good Templar meeting. They were married in 1883 and their only child, Lillian Zenobia, was born a year later.[ citation needed ]

In the early 20th century, the Turnblads started to plan the building of their palatial estate. Their many trips to Europe certainly influenced their decision on the stately chateau style of the mansion and the ornate designs of the interior. The property on Park Avenue was purchased in 1903 and plans were drawn up by the Minneapolis architectural firm of Christopher A. Boehme and Victor Cordella. The structure took nearly five years to build. The Turnblads did not take out a mortgage on this property during construction. Bills were paid as they came due and there are no records of construction costs. When the museum was founded in 1929, the Minneapolis Tribune reported, "the cost is believed to have been close to $1 million although this is a matter the builder does not discuss."[ citation needed ]

The transition from private residence to museum happened in 1929 when the family donated the house and the newspaper to establish the American Institute for Swedish Arts, Literature and Science (later changed to the American Swedish Institute). Turnblad stated that he had long planned for the home to be a Swedish-American institute. He was quoted as saying, "many persons may have wondered what a small family like ours, a family which had not great social ambitions, wanted with so big a house. Perhaps they can guess now." The mansion is on the National Register of Historic Places. [3] It was listed for its local significance in architecture, art, and education. [4]

The second floor of the mansion underwent restoration in 1995 to rebuild damaged plaster moldings, and restore their gold leaf and paint to match undamaged regions. The work received a Heritage Preservation Award. [5]

The Nelson Cultural Center American Swedish Institute-Nelson Cultural Center.jpg
The Nelson Cultural Center

In 2012, ASI opened a 34,000-square-foot (3,200 m2) addition designed by HGA Architects of Minneapolis. The addition includes new gallery space, craft workshop, glass-enclosed reception area, gift shop, restaurant (FIKA), and spaces for events such as concerts, lectures, and community gatherings. The addition was dedicated by King Carl XVI Gustaf and Queen Silvia of Sweden. [6]

Exhibits at ASI

Exhibits at ASI have included:

Annual Christmas exhibit

In the 1950s, ASI began displays that showed how Christmas is celebrated in different Scandinavian countries. This has evolved into an annual display where each room in the mansion is decorated to represent a different country: Sweden, Norway, Finland, Iceland, and Denmark. Recently, the museum has added a "guest country" to the display with a Navidad room from Mexico in 2014 and a Russian Christmas room in 2015. [12]

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hennepin County, Minnesota</span> County in Minnesota, United States

Hennepin County is a county in the U.S. state of Minnesota. Its county seat is Minneapolis, the state's most populous city. The county is named in honor of the 17th-century explorer Father Louis Hennepin. The county extends from Minneapolis to the suburbs and outlying cities in the western part of the county. The county's natural areas are covered with extensive woods, hills, and lakes.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Alvesta Municipality</span> Municipality in Kronoberg County, Sweden

Alvesta Municipality is a municipality in Kronoberg County, southern Sweden. Its seat is in Alvesta.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">William D. Washburn</span> American politician

William Drew "W.D." Washburn, Sr. was an American politician. He served in both the United States House of Representatives and the United States Senate as a Republican from Minnesota. Three of his seven brothers became politicians: Elihu B. Washburne, Cadwallader C. Washburn, and Israel Washburn, Jr. He was also cousin of Dorilus Morrison, the first mayor of Minneapolis. He served in the 46th, 47th, 48th, 51st, 52nd, and 53rd congresses.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Minneapolis Institute of Art</span> Art museum in Minneapolis, Minnesota

The Minneapolis Institute of Art (Mia) is an arts museum located in Minneapolis, Minnesota, United States. Home to more than 90,000 works of art representing 5,000 years of world history, Mia is one of the largest art museums in the United States. Its permanent collection spans about 20,000 years and represents the world's diverse cultures across six continents. The museum has seven curatorial areas: Arts of Africa & the Americas; Contemporary Art; Decorative Arts, Textiles & Sculpture; Asian Art; Paintings; Photography and New Media; and Prints and Drawings.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Swedish Americans</span> American of Swedish birth or descent

Swedish Americans are Americans of Swedish descent. The history of Swedish Americans dates back to the early colonial times, with notable migration waves occurring in the 19th and early 20th centuries and approximately 1.2 million arriving between 1865–1915. These immigrants settled predominantly in the Midwest, particularly in states like Minnesota, Illinois, and Wisconsin, in similarity with other Nordic and Scandinavian Americans. Populations also grew in the Pacific Northwest in the states of Oregon and Washington at the turn of the twentieth century.

Nordic and Scandinavian Americans are Americans of Scandinavian and/or Nordic ancestry, including Danish Americans, Faroese Americans, Finnish Americans, Greenlandic Americans, Icelandic Americans, Norwegian Americans, and Swedish Americans. Also included are persons who reported 'Scandinavian' ancestry on their census. According to 2021 census estimates, there are approximately 9,365,489 people of Scandinavian ancestry in the United States.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Peavey–Haglin Experimental Concrete Grain Elevator</span> United States historic place

The Peavey–Haglin Experimental Concrete Grain Elevator is the world's first known cylindrical concrete grain elevator. It was built from 1899 to 1900 in St. Louis Park, Minnesota, United States, as an experiment to prove the design was viable. It was an improvement on wooden elevators that were continually at risk of catching fire or even exploding. Its cylindrical concrete design became the industry standard in the United States, revolutionizing grain storage practices. After its initial experiments, the Peavey–Haglin Elevator was never again used to store grain. Since the late 1960s it has been maintained on the grounds of the Nordic Ware company and is painted with their name and logo.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Minneapolis</span> City in Minnesota, United States

Minneapolis, officially the City of Minneapolis, is a city in the state of Minnesota and the county seat of Hennepin County. As of the 2020 census the population was 429,954, making it the state's most populous city. Nicknamed the "City of Lakes", Minneapolis is abundant in water, with thirteen lakes, wetlands, the Mississippi River, creeks, and waterfalls. Minneapolis was the 19th-century lumber and flour milling capital of the world and has preserved its financial clout into the 21st century. It occupies both banks of the Mississippi River and adjoins Saint Paul, the state capital of Minnesota.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Washburn-Fair Oaks Mansion District</span> Historic district in Minnesota, United States

The Washburn-Fair Oaks Mansion District is a historic district in the Whittier neighborhood of Minneapolis, Minnesota, United States, centered on Washburn-Fair Oaks Park. The city of Minneapolis designated a district bordered by Franklin Avenue, Fourth Avenue South, 26th Street East, and First Avenue South. A smaller district, listed on the National Register of Historic Places, includes seven mansions along and near 22nd Street East.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hennepin County Sheriff's Office</span>

The Hennepin County Sheriff's Office (HCSO) is the sheriff's office for Hennepin County in the U.S. state of Minnesota. HCSO's main offices are in Minneapolis City Hall in the county seat of Minneapolis.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">John R. Cummins Farmhouse</span> Historic house in Minnesota, United States

The John R. Cummins House is a historic house in Eden Prairie, Minnesota, United States, a suburb southwest of Minneapolis. The house is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Swan Turnblad</span> American newspaper publisher

Swan J. Turnblad was an American newspaper publisher. Turnblad was the manager of the Svenska Amerikanska Posten, a Swedish language newspaper in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Later in his life he donated property and money to help create the American Swedish Institute.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">State Theatre (Minneapolis)</span>

The State Theatre is a historic theatre in Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA. It is one of four restored theatres in the Hennepin Theatre District.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Occupy Minneapolis</span>

Occupy Minneapolis (OccupyMN) is a grassroots collaboration that began in October 2011 with a series of demonstrations in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Protesters have staged numerous occupations, most notably of the Hennepin County Government Center plaza.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hennepin History Museum</span> History museum in Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA

Hennepin History Museum is a museum dedicated to the history, people, and communities of Hennepin County, Minnesota, United States. The museum provides in-house exhibits, history-themed programming, and social events throughout the year.

Svenska Sällskapet was formed in Minneapolis, Minnesota in 1925 by Nils Leon Jansson, Swedish consul to Minnesota and the NW States and served as president from 1925 to 1931. Membership at that time was limited to 50 men of Swedish birth or descent and of good character, and who have demonstrated sympathy with the aims and purposes with the Society and who will add to the credit of the Society.

<i>Sami Blood</i> 2016 film

Sami Blood is a 2016 Swedish coming-of-age drama film written and directed by Amanda Kernell, as her feature film debut. The first 10 minutes of the film comes directly from the short film Stoerre Vaerie. Stoerre Vaerie is Kernell's first film with Sami themes and it was nominated for the Short Film Grand Jury Prize at the Sundance Film Festival, Park City, Utah, United States.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Albert Harrington (merchant)</span> American businessman

Albert Harrington was a grain merchant in Minnesota. He is best known as a member of the G. W. Van Dusen Company. He was a member of the Minneapolis Chamber of commerce; he built the Belt Line elevator in Superior, Wisconsin, in 1892; and he was the President of the Belt Line Elevator Company from 1892 to 1895. This was part of the 10-block “Golden Mile” on Park Avenue between 18th and 28th Streets.

References

  1. "National Register Information System". National Register of Historic Places . National Park Service. March 15, 2006.
  2. "Best Lunch – Fika – 2013 Best of MN". Star Tribune. May 20, 2013. Retrieved October 23, 2016.
  3. History of Hennepin County and The City of Minneapolis, 1881. Page 277. North Star Publishing http://hennbios.tripod.com/surnamet.htm
  4. Cavin, Brooks (1971-01-29). "National Register of Historic Places Inventory – Nomination Form: American Swedish Institute". National Park Service. Retrieved 2015-05-17.
  5. "American Swedish Institute interior conservation". Architecture-restoration.com. Archived from the original on March 3, 2016. Retrieved October 23, 2016.
  6. John Reinan (June 25, 2012). "American Swedish Institute expanding both its building and its mission". www.minnpost.com. Retrieved October 23, 2016.
  7. Amy Rea (April 14, 2016). "Wander Minnesota: Lars Lerin At The American Swedish Institute". Minnesota.cbslocal.com. Retrieved October 23, 2016.
  8. "Appetites: Magnus Nilsson's 'Nordic'". www.mprnews.org. June 1, 2016. Retrieved October 23, 2016.
  9. Mary Abbe (February 22, 2013). "Sámis culture explored at American Swedish Institute – StarTribune.com". Startribune.com. Retrieved October 23, 2016.
  10. Amy Carlson Gustafson (January 22, 2014). "Shear beauty: American Swedish Institute exhibit features Danish artist's paper cuts". Pioneer Press. Retrieved October 23, 2016.
  11. Marianne Combs (March 2, 2015). "A Higgs boson dress? 'Nobel Creations' honors laureates through fashion". Mprnews.org. Retrieved October 23, 2016.
  12. Grace Kramer (November 25, 2015). "American Swedish Institute celebrates Nordic Christmas traditions". Mndaily.com. Retrieved October 23, 2016.

Other sources

Photos