The American Swedish Institute (ASI) is one of the leading museums and cultural centers in the Twin Cities. Born from the vision of a Swedish immigrant family, ASI invites all to explore themes of migration and heritage through exciting programming and exhibitions.
During the late 19th and early 20th centuries, approximately 54,000 Swedish people immigrated to America to escape poverty, flee religious persecution, and pursue hope.
One of those hopeful immigrants, Swan Turnblad, built the historic home now known as the Turnblad Mansion, which has housed ASI since 1929. Swan emerged from modest means to become owner of the Svenska Amerikanska Posten, which was once the largest Swedish-language newspaper in the U.S.
“I had this idea in mind when I first began to build the home. I wanted it to endure for a hundred thousand years. And I wanted to have it so arranged that it might be converted to later uses.” — Swan J. Turnblad Publisher, Svenska Amerikanska Posten
Today, the Turnblad Mansion is joined on ASI’s campus by the Nelson Cultural Center, a modern structure completed in 2012. The Nelson Center features an expanded art gallery, spaces for programming and events, a museum shop, and FIKA Café.
ASI presents multiple exhibitions each year, showcasing Nordic-inspired art and local artists’ work.
Ann Wolff: The Art of Living
The current exhibition, Ann Wolff: The Art of Living, explores Ann Wolff’s personal and expansive approach to her lifelong artistry. With a career spanning over five decades, Wolff (b. 1937) is recognized as one of the world’s foremost artists working in glass and is known for her distinctive sculptural works. This exhibition also features engaging themes of identity, self-expression, and the art of living through Wolff’s explorations in metal, concrete, drawing, and photography. The exhibition traces Wolff’s artistic development from the early 2000s to the present, from large-scale sculptures in glass and concrete to delicate castings in nickel silver. It is the most extensive presentation of her work outside Sweden, including pieces on loan from private collections such as the Minnesota-based Cafesjian Art Trust.
Salad Hilowle: Inscriptions
This summer, ASI will present a solo exhibition, Inscriptions, by Salad Hilowle, an internationally recognized Swedish artist. Subtly referencing works by notable Swedish artists, the exhibition offers a poetic examination of belonging, spectatorship, and the visibility of the African experience in Sweden over time.
Hilowle’s work uncovers the presence of African descendants in Swedish history and society, offering insight into the Afro-Swedish diaspora. Born in Somalia, Hilowle moved from Mogadishu to Gävle, Sweden, at the age of seven. His work shifts the viewer’s attention toward the presence and agency of individuals who have often been overlooked, rather than focusing solely on their omission.
The exhibition features video, photography, sculpture, textiles, and performance. Through shifts in context, scale, color, and material, Hilowle invites the viewer to examine the familiar as if for the very first time.
Hilowle’s first major solo exhibition outside of Sweden is a collaboration between ASI and The Somali Museum, curated by Berlin-based curator Sagal Farah.
With exhibitions like Ann Wolff: The Art of Living and Salad Hilowle: Inscriptions, ASI offers experiences that connect history with contemporary culture.
