American Swedish Institute reopens to the public on Sept. 11

Above: Inflated dala horse outside of the American Swedish Institute. Courtesy of ASI.

The Swedes are back – and we're not talking the Vikings football team.

The American Swedish Institute reopens to members-only on Sept. 10, and to the public on Fri., Sept. 11 with reduced hours, Thurs.-Sun. from 10 a.m. – 4 p.m. Advanced, timed reservations are required and available beginning Aug. 24. Anyone visiting the museum must wear masks, observe social distancing. There will be no walk-up museum admissions, but the FIKA Café and the museum store will allow walk-in customers.

"This has been an achingly difficult separation, as many patrons think of ASI as their 'home away from home,'" said Bruce Karstadt, ASI President/CEO in an email to the Star Tribune. "We're eager to see people return to enjoy all that we have to offer."

The museum reopens with a new exhibition, "We Are the Story," a series of multi-site quilt exhibitions focused on symbols of liberation, empowerment and struggle from Black history. It will be in the Osher Gallery, and free and open to the public.

The institute has extended "extra/ordinary," an anniversary exhibition showcasing 90 years of historical objects, will now run through January 2021. That show's blue ball pit, designed for wading around, has transformed into view-only display; rubber duckies, a shark, and a pink flamingo will be "swimming" in it.

The exhibition "Swedish Dads," photos of dads who choose to stay home with their children for six months or longer, thanks to Sweden's generous parental leave policies, is on view virtually and on the institute's perimeter fence through Oct. 4. Photographer Johan Bävman will give artist talks about the show on Sept. 13 and 23 at 2 p.m. Sign up is required, and cost is $5 per talk.

"Little did we know when we closed our doors in March because of COVID-19 precautions, how long it would be and how much the world and our city would change in the interim," said Karstadt.