The Swedish Institute in Paris: Sweden's only cultural center abroad

If you're looking for a little piece of Sweden in Paris, you've come to the right place. Head for theSwedish Institute, nestled in the heart of the Marais district! Considered Sweden's only cultural center abroad, theSwedish Institute is housed in theHôtel de Marle, a sublime 16th-century mansion, partly listed, acquired by the Swedish state in 1965. After extensive renovation work, theSwedish Institute was inaugurated in 1971 at N°11 rue Payenne, in the 3rd arrondissement.

Since then, this institution, a veritable showcase for Swedish culture in the capital, has offered a rich and varied program to the widest possible audience throughout the year! From concerts, notably for the Fêtede la musique and Midsommar, to cinema , literature, design and exhibitions... theSwedish Institute regularly hosts temporary exhibitions, as well as a permanent art exhibition featuring paintings, sculptures and engravings tracing Franco-Swedish relations over the last few centuries.

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TheSwedish Institute is also well known to Parisians eager to learn the Swedish language before a stay in the land of the Dalarna horse.

In addition to the beauty of the mansion that houses theSwedish Institute, the cultural center has many other assets, such as the courtyard and garden, which are also open to the public. In summer, these two spaces are popular venues for an ephemeral library, an open-air cinema and contemporary art installations.

Last but not least, gourmets won't be left out, thanks to the FIKA café in one of the wings of the Hôtel de Marle. On the menu? Swedish specialities, of course, including the unmissable kanelbullar, Swedish cinnamon rolls. When the sun comes out, regulars like to meet on the café's terrace, set in the cobbled courtyard.

The FIKA Café at the Swedish Institute
Fika, that's the name of the café that opened its doors at the Swedish Institute. In the paved courtyard of the free cultural site, which puts Sweden in the spotlight, we discover a welcoming and luminous coffee shop with a terrace, which offers us nice Swedish specialties. In pre-opening this summer, the coffee shop makes its comeback and its official opening and reveals us its delicacies. [Read more]

How and when to get to the Swedish Institute :

• Address: 11 rue Payenne, 75003 Paris
• Metro: line 1 (Saint Paul) or line 8 (Chemin Vert)
• Bus: 29, 69, 76 and 96
• Opening hours: The Swedish Institute is open from Wednesday to Sunday, 12pm to 6pm. Closed Mondays and Tuesdays. Café Fika open Tuesday to Sunday, 10am to 7pm.

Cosmos et Vanitas: a solo exhibition by Ylva Snöfrid at the Swedish Institute, our photos
Scandinavian artist Ylva Snöfrid presents "Cosmos et Vanitas", her very first solo exhibition in Paris. On view from October 15, 2024 to February 23, 2025 at the Swedish Institute, this free installation showcases the work of this artist, known for her figurative paintings and sculptural objects, which she uses notably in the scenography of her various performances, conceived as "rituals". [Read more]