In 1996, The Foundation for the Preservation of Astrid Lindgren’s Works was established in connection with an appeal to raise money for the construction of a permanent exhibition in Vimmerby about Astrid Lindgren’s life and work.

Purpose
The Foundation shall highlight Astrid Lindgren’s work in an exhibition hall owned by the Foundation and built in Vimmerby and award grants to those who, in the spirit of Astrid Lindgren, contribute to developing children’s imaginations through literature, music, theatre, film or other artistic fields.

Collection
On the eve of Astrid Lindgren’s 90th birthday on 14 November 1997, the Foundation’s ambitions were realised by the fundraising campaign, which raised some SEK 4.8 million. A national gift of SEK 7.5 million and an EU grant of SEK 3.2 million brought the total amount raised to just over SEK 15 million. This made it possible to immediately begin construction of Astrid Lindgren’s Farm, which was opened on the author’s 91st birthday in 1998. The farm was built adjacent to Astrid Lindgren’s World, and until 2006 the site was used for an exhibition reflecting Astrid Lindgren’s work, upbringing and sources of inspiration.

For the jubilee year of 2007, which would have marked Astrid Lindgren’s 100th birthday, plans were made to create the new cultural centre, Astrid Lindgren’s Näs, to include Astrid Lindgren’s childhood home as well as the research centre and library in the former vicarage at Näs. The question was then raised as to whether the permanent exhibition about Astrid’s life and work should also be located on the site.

Astrid Lindgrens Värld AB offered the Foundation the opportunity to build a new exhibition hall at Näs, in return for taking over the former Astrid Lindgren farm to house the new Seacrow Island setting. The proposal was accepted and the property swap completed. The new exhibition hall is called the Pavilion at Astrid Lindgren’s Näs.

A completely new exhibition about Astrid Lindgren’s life and work has been produced and paid for by the Foundation. On 12 June 2007, Crown Princess Victoria opened the new cultural centre Astrid Lindgren’s Näs, comprising the childhood home, the research centre and the new Pavilion, housing the major exhibition ‘Astrid Lindgren and the Power of Stories’.

The Foundation currently rents the Pavilion and exhibition to Astrid Lindgren’s Vimmerby AB, which runs the public exhibition activities.