Gammelgården Museum

Gammelgården Museum Silent Book Club
2025-05-18 13:30 - 15:30, 2025-06-15 13:30 - 15:30 (America/Chicago) | Gammelgarden Museum of Scandia, 20880 Olinda Trail North, Scandia, MN, 55073, United States
The Gammelgården Museum Silent Book Club meets on the third Sunday of each month from May through November from 1:30-3:30 p.m.
Bring your favorite book from home to read, choose one from Gammelgården’s non-lending library (there are books in English and Swedish), or purchase a book in the Butik (the museum’s gift shop).

There will be 30 minutes to choose your book/get settled, 1 hour of reading time, and then 30 minutes to talk with one another, continue reading, look at the museum’s exhibits and displays, shop in the gift shop, or leave and go home to recharge.

Visit the Gammelgården Museum Silent Book Club Facebook Group to be a part of the club.

Drop Off Items for the Garage Sale
2025-05-18 13:30 - 15:30 | Gammelgarden Museum of Scandia, 20880 Olinda Trail North, Scandia, MN, 55073, United States
Gammelgården is accepting high-quality new and used items to sell during the Community-wide Garage Sale that will be held on May 29th-31st. Proceeds from the items sold will be used to support the museum’s restoration projects and events. Items can be dropped off on May 15th, 16th, and 17th from 11-3 and on May 18th from 1:30-3.

NAMI Minnesota Mindful Creations Support Group
2025-05-21 10:15 - 12:15, 2025-06-18 10:15 - 12:15 | Gammelgarden Museum of Scandia, 20880 Olinda Trail North, Scandia, MN, 55073, United States
NAMI MC flyer_Gammelgården Museum of Scandia

NAMI Minnesota Mindful Creations Support Group, is a group that focuses on building resiliency and strengthening mental well-being through education, creative expression through art, and the support of others in a safe and confidential environment.

Each meeting will focus on one mental health topic and include a brief educational session, a hands-on art activity, and group discussion.

There is no cost for the support groups. To register, email your first and last name to sgc@namimn.org

Mors Dag (Mother's Day) in Sweden
2025-05-25 | MN
Glad Mors Dag (glawd mohrs dawg) or Happy Mother’s Day!
In Sweden, Mother’s Day is celebrated on the last Sunday in May. Mothers in Sweden prefer to receive fresh flowers or gifts, and breakfast in bed.
Spend Mother’s Day honoring or remembering your mother by walking the museum grounds, seeing what’s in bloom, going on an afternoon tour of the historic buildings, or seeing the current art exhibit (Swedish Folk Painting – Tradition and Innovation).

Community-Wide Garage Sale
2025-05-29 10:00 - 16:00, 2025-05-30 10:00 - 16:00, 2025-05-31 10:00 - 16:00 | Gammelgarden Museum of Scandia, 20880 Olinda Trail North, Scandia, MN, 55073, United States
Gammelgården Museum will be participating in Scandia’s Community-Wide Garage Sale. This is your opportunity to purchase items that have been donated to the museum. Proceeds from the sale will be used to support Gammelgården’s events and restoration projects.

Children's Storytime
2025-06-05 10:30 - 11:00, 2025-06-12 10:30 - 11:00, 2025-06-26 10:30 - 11:00, 2025-07-03 10:30 - 11:00, 2025-07-10 10:30 - 11:00 | Gammelgarden Museum of Scandia, 20880 Olinda Trail North, Scandia, MN, 55073, United States
New to Gammelgården this year is children’s storytime! This program will be hosted weekly on Thursday’s at 10:30 am in the classroom upstairs.

This is a great opportunity for you and your family to partake in early literacy in your community. Early literacy programs are not designed to teach young children how to read, rather they focus on developing skills through stories.

Storytime is designed to introduce your little one to stories, songs, rhyming, and other kids. Storytime often includes one to two read-alouds with one to two interactive songs, rhymes, or activities.

Storytime will be hosted by Grace Taylor. Grace will graduate with a Master’s in Library and Information Sciences from St. Kate’s in August 2025 and has taken multiple courses in Children’s Materials and Services.

National Day in Sweden
2025-06-06 | MN
National Day is a day when Swedes celebrate the memory of the election of the nation’s founding father, Gustav Vasa, on June 6, 1523.
It was also on this day that a new constitution was adopted in 1809. The name was changed to Swedish Flag Day in 1983, but it wasn’t until 2005 that it became an official public holiday.
On National Day in Sweden, people enjoy Fika with friends, sing, dance, and attend village events in the town square.

Contemporary Tapestry Weaving
2025-06-07 10:30 - 12:00 | Gammelgarden Museum of Scandia, 20880 Olinda Trail North, Scandia, MN, 55073, United States
Learn the basics of tapestry weaving to create a small wall hanging from Sandra Brick. Use a variety of colorful, textured materials like bulky yarn and wool roving. Get fancy with fringe, loops, and color blocking to create a weaving that is as unique as you are!
Sandra Brick is a trainer, coach, and educator with over 21 years of experience with the Textile Center both as an instructor and former Board member. She has designed and developed 35+ workshops and courses in a diverse range of workshop topics such as fabric dyeing, design theory, beading, creative problem solving, and technology workshops for artists. Brick’s explorations in new materials and techniques have inspired her innovative body of work in surface design, stitching and mixed media, which has been widely exhibited. facebook.com/TE.SandraBrick/
Register HERE for the Contemporary Tapestry Weaving class.

Crocheted Granny Squares
2025-06-07 12:30 - 15:30 | Gammelgarden Museum of Scandia, 20880 Olinda Trail North, Scandia, MN, 55073, United States
Get inspired by the fiber arts trend that’s always in style: Crocheted Granny Squares! These simple-to-make crocheted squares can be used alone or multiplied to make everything from small purses to sweaters to large shawls!
Cara Corey will teach you basic crocheting skills needed to create a Granny Square. Once you learn the pattern, see where your creativity takes you. All are welcome – no crocheting experience is necessary.
Class fee $50, supply fee $15
Register through EventBrite at https://tinyurl.com/grannysquares2025
Cancellation Policy:
Up to 3 weeks before the event – 50% refund. Under 3 weeks before the event, no refunds.

Fiber Arts Club
2025-06-11 10:30 - 12:30, 2025-07-09 10:30 - 12:30 | Gammelgarden Museum of Scandia, 20880 Olinda Trail North, Scandia, MN, 55073, United States
The Fiber Arts Club at Gammelgården Museum will meet from 10:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. on the second Wednesday of each month. Bring a project you’re working on, and join in conversation and community. This is a relaxing gathering for people with projects in progress or in the planning stages.

This is the perfect opportunity to connect with like-minded individuals and work on your small projects in knitting, crocheting, hand sewing, needlefelting, mending, embroidery, cross stitching, tatting, weaving, needlepoint, lacemaking, macrame, spinning, rug hooking, string art, or any other fiber art.

The club offers people a chance to work on projects, learn new skills, get opinions on projects, and make suggestions to others. It’s a great way to make progress on your creative endeavors.

IMPORTANT FOR THIS GROUP – PLEASE READ:
1. Smaller projects only due to limited room size. So, unless it can fit in your lap (such as the beginning of a project), please leave larger projects like afghans, large sweaters, etc. at home.
2. Small supply totes only. Keep large needlework bags, boxes of supplies, etc. at home. There is not enough table and floor space to support items of that size.
3. Work on a project that you bring to the Fiber Arts Club. Making progress on your project while chit-chatting is the purpose of the group and respect for others’ productivity is important.
4. Any coffee, tea, or soda/pop must be covered.

History & Heritage Book Club
2025-06-13 10:30 - 12:00, 2025-07-11 10:30 - 12:00 | Gammelgarden Museum of Scandia, 20880 Olinda Trail North, Scandia, MN, 55073, United States
Gammelgården Museum is launching a new program in 2025, History & Heritage Book Club!

From May through December 2025, we will be exploring 8 books related to Nordic history and heritage; and Swedish lifestyles and traditions. There are both fiction and non-fiction books; and authors from the United States and Sweden.

Join other book lovers every second Friday of the month from 10:30 AM – 12:00 PM. The History & Heritage Book Club will be held at Gammelgården Museum at 20880 Olinda Trail North, Scandia, MN 55073. Don’t miss this opportunity to connect with others in the community who love to read and want to discover some great books!

2025 Book List (for a book description, visit the History & Heritage Book Club group on Facebook:
May – Swede Hollow by Ola Larsmo – *F
June – The Open-Air Life by Linda Åkeson McGurk – *N
July – The Lagom Life – A Swedish Way of Living by Elisabeth Carlsson – *N
August – The Sisterhood of the Enchanted Forest by Naomi Moriyama and William Doyle – N
September – Giants in the Earth – A Saga of the Prairie by O.E. Rölvaag – F
October – My Grandmother Asked Me to Tell You She’s Sorry by Fredrik Backman – *F
November – The Rocks Will Echo Our Sorrow – The Forced Displacement of the Northern Sámi by Elin Anna Labba – *N
December – The Palace of the Snow Queen – Winter Travels in Lapland and Sápmi by Barbara Sjoholm – N
* – Swedish, Sámi, or Swedish-American author
F – Fiction
N – Non-Fiction

Please let the museum know you will be attending the book club, be emailing: director@gammelgardenmuseum.org
Phone: (651) 433-5053
Facebook Group: History & Heritage Book Club

Meet the Author & Illustrator of "Making Minnesota" - With Hands-on Activities for 7+ Youth & Adults
2025-06-14 10:30 - 12:00 | Gammelgarden Museum of Scandia, 20880 Olinda Trail North, Scandia, MN, 55073, United States
Enjoy hands-on activities while learning about the great state of Minnesota! Pat Bauer (author) and Dave Geister (illustrator) will share “Making Minnesota,” an activity book published by the Minnesota Historical Society.
NOTE: Although the event is free, there is limited seating. Please register on Eventbrite if you plan to attend to guarantee your spot.
The book will be available for free at this family event, thanks to generous funding from the Clean Water, Land, and Legacy Amendment.
The activity book explores Minnesota’s history, people, landscapes, wildlife, and culture. It is full of information and activities for kids and celebrates all things Minnesota. The book offers activities to help young readers engage with Minnesota’s history, people, and places by encouraging them to make their own illustrations, maps, lists of favorite places, and other ways to make Minnesota great.
Patricia Bauer is the author of “B for Battle Cry: A Civil War Alphabet.” Dave Geister provided the illustrations for Bauer’s book, as well as for many other historically-themed picture books.
The program at Gammelgården is geared towards children ages 7 and up, as well as families that have newly immigrated to Minnesota.

Museum Closed for Juneteenth
2025-06-19 | MN
Gammelgården Museum will be closed in observance of Juneteenth.
What is Juneteenth? From Wikipedia:
Juneteenth, officially Juneteenth National Independence Day, is a federal holiday in the United States. It is celebrated annually on June 19 to commemorate the ending of slavery in the United States.
The holiday’s name is a portmanteau of the words “June” and “nineteenth”, as it was on June 19, 1865 when Major General Gordon Granger ordered the final enforcement of the Emancipation Proclamation in Texas at the end of the American Civil War.
In the Civil War period, slavery came to an end in various areas of the United States at different times. Many enslaved Southerners escaped, demanded wages, stopped work, or took up arms against the Confederacy of slave states.
In January 1865, Congress finally proposed the Thirteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution for national abolition of slavery. By June 1865, almost all enslaved were freed by the victorious Union Army, or abolition laws in some of the remaining U.S. states. When the national abolition amendment was ratified in December, the remaining enslaved in Delaware and in Kentucky were freed.

Puppet Making with In the Heart of Beast Puppet Theater
2025-06-21 10:30 - 12:30 | Gammelgarden Museum of Scandia, 20880 Olinda Trail North, Scandia, MN, 55073, United States
In the Heart of the Beast Puppet and Mask Theatre (HOBT) will be at Gammelgården Museum with two teaching artists who will provide a 2-hour puppet making workshop on the theme of celebrating Midsummer, Summer, and/or flowers. This is a workshop for participants of all ages – from children in Kindergarten through adults. Participants younger than 16 years old should be accompanied by an adult.
Registration is required as there are a limited number of spots available. Registrations will be accepted through EventBrite and will be filled on a first-come, first-served basis.
INFORMATION ABOUT HOBT
You will start with water, flour, newspaper, and paint. Add a large measure of imagination and a dollop of artistry to make stories about our world come alive through puppets. This is in the Heart of the Beast’s 50-year-old puppet recipe.
Since 1973, In the Heart of the Beast Puppet and Mask Theatre has helped to create and cultivate the puppetry community in the Twin Cities.
HOBT is a community of artists working within the larger community to create magic together. They make puppets large and small, monstrous, beautiful, silly, human, plant, and animal.
You can see many of their puppets at their Free Puppet Library every first and third Saturday of the month; and they often visit community spaces to engage with neighbors around the Twin Cities Metro and beyond!
They use gestures, voice, form, and color, giving life to puppets that help tell stories to represent the world as it is and as we dream it could be.

Bluegrass & Lemonade in the Shade
2025-06-22 14:00 - 15:45 | Gammelgarden Museum of Scandia, 20880 Olinda Trail North, Scandia, MN, 55073, United States
Come on down for an old-time bluegrass jam session at Gammelgården Museum from 2-3:45 p.m. on four Sundays – June 22, July 27, August 24, and September 28!
Bring your banjo, fiddle, guitar, cello, dulcimer, harmonica, mandolin, ukulele, or bass, and learn new tunes! Play along, or just relax and listen in a welcoming atmosphere.
There are experienced and new musicians, and people of all ages.
Best of all…Bluegrass & Lemonade in the Shade is free!
*** Remember to bring your chair or blanket. ***
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Jam Etiquette

Be polite, welcoming, and friendly.
Be kind to beginners and new jammers – it takes courage to join in and play along!
Put your instrument cases off to the side and out of the way.
Please minimize noodling around between tunes.
Step out of the circle to tune your instrument or chat with someone.

Midsommardagen
2025-06-28 10:00 - 16:00 | Gammelgarden Museum of Scandia, 20880 Olinda Trail North, Scandia, MN, 55073, United States
This Swedish festival is perhaps the most popular one of the year. Join us at Gammelgården Museum for this outdoor festival celebrating the beauty of the Summer Day. Dating back to ancient times, Midsommardagen marks the longest day of the year and welcomes back warm weather.
Enjoy traditional Swedish music, group folk dancing, hands-on activities, arts, crafts, and vendor fair, demonstrations by artists, and, in the center of it all, the Majstång/Midsommarstång (May/Midsummer Pole), freshly decorated with spring greenery.
This year we have new special features during the morning from 10:00-12:00:
– In the Heart of the Beast Puppet and Mask Theatre – do a make-and-take floral crown project that celebrates summer, flowers, and Midsommardagen. (This make-and-take activity is available until supplies run out.) Try on large masks from In the Heart of the Beast and take your photo in them. See four large, puppets dressed as birds or with a summer theme roaming the museum grounds.
– COMPAS Teaching Artist Anne McFaul Reid – make a beautiful paper flower with Anne. This make-and-take activity is available until supplies run out.
– Children’s Passport to Midsommardagen – have your photo taken in one of the children’s costumes and place it in your “Midsommardagen Passport.” Travel to different activities throughout the museum grounds and buildings to have your passport stamped.
Enjoy a picnic lunch with the wide array of food offered for sale at the museum. Bring a chair and a blanket to enjoy your picnic on the museum grounds. Note that alcohol is not allowed on museum property.
Menu:
– Swedish Meatballs with Mashed Potatoes, Gravy, Lingonberries, and Crunchy Onions
– Loaded Swedish Meatball Sandwich (Swedish Meatballs, Mashed Potatoes, Gravy, Lingonberries, and Crunchy Onions all served on a bun)
– Fresh Salad with Choice of Dressing
– Fresh Fruit Cup

– Pickled Herring with Crisp Flatbread
– Chips
– Midsommar Cake with Strawberries
– Chokladbollar
– Cookies
– Beverages (Sodas, Water, and Coffee)

Schedule of Events:

Historic Buildings Open to the Public: 10:00-1:00 and 3:00-4:00
Artists, Crafters, and Vendors Fair: 10:00-4:00
– Adrienne Quinlan
– Apothecary’s Daughter
– Bella Josie Naturals, LLC
– Bluebird Recovery Program of Minnesota

– Butik (Gammelgården Museum of Scandia’s Gift Shop)
– Chickadee Forest

– Carol’s Stained Glass
– Community Homestead
– Cynthia DeMar Arts (also demonstrating copper pipe cuff making)
– Donald Fick
– Erika Knits
– Hunter Panoch Art and Photography
– Jerry Berg
– LB’s Caramels, Candies, and Crafts, LLC
– Lisa Rydin Erickson
– Marine Maple Syrup
– Eric Nelson/Buckthorn Studios (also demonstrating tintype photography)
– Ron Nelson Carvings (also demonstrating wood carving)
– Sara Tennis – Artisan
– Scandia Sister City Council
– Scandinavian Weavers Study Group/Lisa-Anne Bauch (also demonstrating weaving on the museum’s floor loom)
– STITCHES by Carin
– Susan Raes Woodworking
– Swedish Genealogical Society of Minnesota
– Three Little Kittens Creations
– Three Rivers Fibershed
– Vasa Jr. Folk Dancers
– Washington County Master Gardeners – Milkweed, Monarchs, and Pollinators Team
Demonstrations by Artists: 10:00-4:00
– Copper Pipe Cuff Making – Cynthia DeMar Arts (as time permits)
– Tintype Photography – Eric Nelson/Buckthorn Studios
– Weaving on the Museum’s Floor Loom – Lisa-Anne Bauch – Scandinavian Weavers Study Group
– Wood Carving – Ron Nelson/Flat Plane Figurative Carvings

Butik (Gammelgården’s Gift Shop) Open: 10:00-4:00
Hands-on Activities for People of All Ages: 10:00-12:30
– Make a Paper Flower with COMPAS Teaching Artist Anne McFaul Reid (until supplies run out)
– Do a make-and-take mask project that celebrates summer, flowers, and Midsommardagen with In the Heart of the Beast Puppet and Mask Theatre (until supplies run out)
– Make a Fresh-Flower Head Wreath (until supplies run out)
– Make a Mini-Majstång/Midsommarstång (until supplies run out)
– Swedish Coloring Sheets
– Summer Scavenger Hunt. Print the scavenger hunt sheet from Gammelgården’s website and bring it to the front desk in the Welcome House (the big red building) to receive a free children’s book about Midsommar.
– Temporary Tattoos

See ArtReach’s Mobile Art Gallery: 10:00-4:00
Music by the Scandia Community Band: 12:15-1:00
Raising of the Majstång/Midsommarstång, May/Midsummer Pole: 1:00
– Folk Music by the ASI Cloudberries (Women’s Chorus Based out of the American Swedish Institute in Minneapolis, Minnesota)
– Folk Dancing by the Vasa Junior Folk Dancers (Children Ages 3-18 Years Old who Preserve Swedish Dance, Traditions, and Heritage; and Share Swedish Culture with the Community)
** Although Midsommardagen is a free event, it is helpful for Gammelgården to know how many people plan to attend. RSVP on Eventbrite. Again, there is no charge to do this or attend Midsommardagen. **
NOTE: Midsommardagen will be held rain or shine. If there is a thunderstorm, the program will be held indoors at Elim Lutheran Church at 20971 Olinda Trail North. Elim is within a short walking distance from Gammelgården.
Watch the museum’s Facebook page or call the museum at 651-433-5053 for more information.

Museum Closed - 4th of July
2025-07-04 | Gammelgarden Museum of Scandia, 20880 Olinda Trail North, Scandia, MN, 55073, United States
Gammelgården Museum is closed on the 4th of July.

Harvesting History: The Tools of the Early-American Farmer
2025-07-05 10:30 - 12:00 | Gammelgarden Museum of Scandia, 20880 Olinda Trail North, Scandia, MN, 55073, United States
Led by tour guide Alan Bakke, this class offers an in-depth exploration of the agricultural practices and tools that shaped early American farming from the during the mid-1800s to early-1900s.

Participants will learn about the historical context of agriculture in Minnesota and how early settlers adapted Swedish farming techniques to the landscape and climate of Minnesota.

See how agricultural technology advanced from simple hand tools to mechanized equipment by the late-19th century.

Participants will have an opportunity to interact with some historical farming tools and participate in demonstrations that illustrate traditional farming techniques.

This in-depth and immersive class will foster a deeper appreciation for the ingenuity and resilience of early American farmers while highlighting their lasting impact on contemporary agriculture.

Register for the class HERE.

Puppet Show by Open Eye Theatre at Gammelgården Museum
2025-07-05 13:00 - 14:00 | Gammelgarden Museum of Scandia, 20880 Olinda Trail North, Scandia, MN, 55073, United States
Visit Gammelgården Museum on the 4th of July weekend to see The Adventures of Katie Tomatie by Open Eye Theatre in Minneapolis.

With school out for the summer, Katie doesn’t want to do anything but watch her tomatoes grow. Digging in her garden, she unearths Mr. Boo Boo, a very excitable skeleton. This unlikely duo sets off for a day of adventure, and Katie’s ‘do-nothing’ day becomes the best day ever!

Spend the day relaxing at the museum – watching the puppet show, having a picnic table on the 11-acre grounds, seeing the exhibits in the Welcome House, going on a tour of the historic buildings, and shopping in the Butik (gift shop).

The puppet show is designed with children in mind, but is enjoyable for all ages and those who are young at heart.

Card Making
2025-07-12 10:30 - 13:00 | Gammelgarden Museum of Scandia, 20880 Olinda Trail North, Scandia, MN, 55073, United States
Get creative at the cardmaking class. Learn a variety of designs and techniques for crafting dazzling greeting cards. All supplies are included. No prior experience? No problem! You’ll walk away with three fabulous cards. Led by Monique Vernon.
Register for this class on EventBrite.
