Stories, Stonework & Stewardship Mansion Project

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Stories, Stonework & Stewardship

A Campaign to Restore the Historic Turnblad Mansion and Carriage House

Over nearly a century, through passionate stewardship and creativity, the Turnblad Mansion has become one of America’s premier historic houses and the heartbeat of a wide community. But our beloved Mansion is showing its age, and the deteriorating impact of time and weather have left their marks.

We have launched a $22 million campaign to rehabilitate the interiors and exteriors of the Mansion and Carriage House, and to reimagine the Mansion’s interior spaces for programs, gatherings and world-class exhibitions.

The project will restore and revive the Turnblad Mansion so that this historic home is preserved for future generations and can best serve our 21st-century visitors by sharing and prompting stories of how, through migration, people bring ideas that transform themselves and their communities. The project will also rehabilitate the Carriage House into an accessible, functional, and tasteful space for staff and volunteers that encourages creativity and collaboration.

Editing/Cinematography: Francis Sampah, Egobee

Phase 1 Completed

Rebuilt the Veranda

Decades of natural weathering combined with salt and ice have led to irreparable damage to the limestone

Bolstered the Carriage House

Structural breaches in the west foundation threatened the building’s stability

Stabilized the Tower & Turret

These iconic features of the east entrance were severely cracked and structurally unsound

Braced the Solarium

Visible cracks in the stonework were evidence that the metal support structure behind was rusting and shifting

Restored the Windows

All 165 original windows needed varying levels of repair to stem ongoing deterioration

Updated Building Systems

To support future museum experiences new HVAC and electrical services were needed

A Place for Staff & Volunteers

Last remodeled in 1983, the Carriage House offices have transformed into an accessible, modern work environment

Restored Fence

Years of rusting and damage from weather led to the original fencing being restored

Transformed Paulson Hall & Classrooms

Remolded classrooms to meet our growing community needs

Phase 2 Project Goals

Restore Mansion Interiors

Select rooms, including the Den, will be restored to their original design

More Updates to Come

The goals and plan for Phase 2 are currently in progress

“ASI is my touchstone place.

As I raised a family, I frequently visited with my family and we shared the magic together. It is imperative that places like ASI are cared for so that many other generations may also enjoy these moments of wonder and awe.

Michael Bjornberg

Preservation Architect and ASI Trustee

This campaign showcases the Turnblad Mansion’s irreplaceable value.

The entire region can take pride in its majesty and would experience a profound loss if this treasure weren’t preserved for future generations.

Mary Dee Hicks

ASI Trustee

Just as we appreciate the immigrant experience for current immigrants, we appreciate it for past and future immigrants. We find solidarity in the understanding of leaving one place and finding home in a new place, whether it is Swedish or Hmong or Somali.

Kristen Stuenkel

ASI Member

There are many wonders in the Turnblad Castle, from the hand-carved, two-story mantel in the Grand Hall to the brilliantly colored Visby painted glass window, to the 11 imported kakelugnar (ceramic stoves) throughout the house.

Larry Millett

Minnesota's Own: Preserving Our Grand Homes

ASI builds an inclusive community in the Phillips neighborhood and in the Twin Cities. As we become more diverse in the coming decades, institutions like ASI can play a critical role in advancing more peaceful and prosperous communities.

Hamse Warfa

Deputy Commissioner for Workforce Development at the Minnesota DEED

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