American Swedish Institute

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American Swedish Institute Logo - White "ASI" on background of a blue castle drawing

Address: 2600 Park Avenue, Minneapolis, MN, 55407
Upcoming Events: Jump to American Swedish Institute Events

Website American Swedish Institute
Phone 612-871-4907
Hours Tues-Wed & Fri-Sun: 10am-4pm & Thurs: 10am-8pm
Discounts Free Thursday Nights at ASI

The American Swedish Institute strives to be welcoming and fun for families. They encourage visitors of all ages to explore traditions, immigration, handcraft and art. The museum offers regular family programming and special seasonal events geared towards children. It also has a Family Gallery with rotating family-friendly exhibits. Other family-friendly features include family restrooms, a quiet room for nursing and resting with small children and a welcoming atmosphere for breastfeeding mothers anywhere in the museum, and kid-friendly meals in the Café.

Video Tour of the American Swedish Institute

Family friendly features of ASI

  1. Strollers are generally welcome. However, the historic Turnblad Mansion has some tight spaces. A small stroller may be best, and the museum reserves the right to restrict stroller use in special exhibition galleries for the protection of the loaned items and because of the higher volume of visitors in those spaces.
  2. Family restrooms and changing stations are available. They are located on both the first and second floors of the Nelson Cultural Center and the Lower Level of the Turnblad Mansion.
  3. Family friendly meals are offered at FIKA Cafe. If you would like, you can dine outside while the kids can explore the Outdoor Playcart (in season). However, food and drink are not permitted in  Turnblad Mansion or the Osher Gallery.
  4. Outdoor Playcart. The ASI offers outdoor spaces as well as indoor galleries. The outdoor playcart offers a rotating supply of fun things to play with while exploring outside, such as binoculars, magnifying glasses; scarves, ribbons, hula hoops, tree blocks; and kubb games. Outdoor Playcart season generally runs April-September (weather permitting).
  5. There is a family gallery and guides. Turnblad Mansion’s Family Gallery has rotating installations and an interactive play area that encourages visitors to play, touch, read and learn! This is a good place to start as the topics change with the gallery exhibits and kids can get a child-centered perspective before venturing into an adult-oriented exhibit.

    Jultomte posing with kids at the American Swedish Museum in Minnesota
    Jultomte

Family programming at the American Swedish Institute

Families looking for things to do together can check out American Swedish Institute’s Youth and Family Programming, which is extensive, varied, fun and welcoming to kids of all skill levels and backgrounds and their grownups. 

The museum offers Kids at the Castle and Babies at the Castle events, when families can explore and play at a steep discount. Families are invited to spend the rest of the day at ASI! Their Kids at the Castle sticker is their admission for the day. Explore the changing exhibits and Turnblad Mansion, Have fun in the family gallery, eat at FIKA, run around outside and play.

Birthday parties at ASI

ASI rents space for private events like birthday parties. They are not currently advertising birthday party programming.

Summer day camps

ASI offers day camps for kids and teens ages 6-18 each summer. Camp themes include topics like Vikings, Pippi Longstocking, language immersion, and more. We include dates and prices in our annual summer camp guide.
Dala Horse at American Swedish Institute

Ways to save on admission to American Swedish Institute

There are several ways to save on admission to ASI.  Here are some of our favorites:

  • Kids at the Castle offers admission plus family fun for $15/family.  Look for dates on our calendar one Friday and Saturday each month.
  • MELSA smARTpass My most recent check of the smARTpass site netted free admission opportunities to Kids in the Castle, Babies in the Castle, Special Exhibits and other ASI events. Check it often for great deals.
  • Free Thursday Nights Visitors on Thursday evenings between 3pm and 8pm receive free admission to the galleries and Turnblad Mansion.
  • Museums for All This is a needs-based program, which provides free admission to qualifying families enrolled in various government programs – including WIC and MA.
  • Blue Star Families Free admission for active duty military families from Armed Forces Day to Labor Day each year.
  • Membership Members get in free all year. Family memberships include two adults and all children ages 18 and under.

More information

Share Your Experience/Tips:

We would love to hear your thoughts and parental tips. Share your experiences and any information you think other parents would find useful. Leave us a comment below.

Upcoming Family-Friendly Events


Fun Past Events We Hope to See Again


Please Note: FamilyFunTwinCities.com is an independent website run by Twin Cities families for Twin Cities families. We attempt to include the information we find most essential as parents. We make every effort to keep up with changes. However, we are not employed by or connected to this venue, and information sometimes changes without our knowledge. We recommend calling or checking the venue’s website for up-to-date information.

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