Fun Activities for Kids at Alfie Atkins Cultural Center in Gothenburg
Alfie Atkins Cultural Center contributes to children’s development through play and learning.
The children’s book character Alfie Atkins represents many positive values such as humanity, joy, and curiosity. These values also characterize the activities at Alfie Atkins’ Cultural Center, which opened in the fall of 2012 in the old seed shop in the Garden Society of Gothenburg. Alfie Atkins Cultural Center is unique to Gothenburg, to Sweden, and to the world.
We aim to be a leading cultural center for children where ALL children feel a sense of belonging. By ALL, we mean regardless of ability, language, origin, or social situation. The target group is primarily children aged 0–8 and their accompanying adults.
The cultural center has over 64,000 visitors per year, is open 361 days a year, and is run on a non-profit basis. The center champions children’s rights, equality, and diversity.
Alfie Atkins resides in the old seed shop in the Garden Society where old meets new in a creative environment. There are activities where curious children can play, learn, climb, and discover in a house filled with ingenious features. Adults can experience the house alongside the children, settle into the reading corner, enjoy a coffee, or pretend to be Alfie’s dad or grandmother. On the way home, you can pick up something fun from the shop.
Alfie Atkins Cultural Center offers:
Scenography based on Gunilla Bergström’s stories about Alfie Atkins, designed by Tor Svae. Here, you’ll find the high-rise where Alfie lives, his living room, the scary monster, the helicopter, and, of course, Milla, Mållgan, Grandma, and much more. In the reading corner, there are plenty of books to borrow and read.
A diverse program with a broad repertoire of high-quality events. We present three to four program points daily, including at least two theater performances. To ensure accessibility, we regularly offer mime shows and sign-language-interpreted performances. For many children, their first cultural experience happens at Alfie Atkins’ Cultural Center, and it becomes extra accessible with short performances tailored for the youngest audience. We also have a passion for reading aloud and promoting literacy. Another important area is children’s rights, where we actively work with the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child. You can find the program calendar here
Educational projects in collaboration with Chalmers University of Technology and the University of Gothenburg, funded by foundations. Preschool and school groups can participate in free, playful, and interactive lessons. Early interventions strengthen the role of preschools and schools, aiming to spark curiosity and inspire both children and educators for continued learning. Together with experts, students, educators, and actors, we explore the bubbling subject of chemistry and the endlessly exciting space. Read more about school visits here . Alfie Atkins Cultural Center also organizes training sessions for educators in collaboration with other partners.
Outreach and inclusive initiatives to ensure greater accessibility. One of the significant challenges is social exclusion, whether due to disability, social situation, language, or segregation. Alfie Atkins Cultural Center strives to include more people and reduce exclusion. Since its inception, we have worked on inclusion and accessibility for minorities and children with disabilities or in vulnerable situations.
This work is continuously evolving. We aim to play a vital role as a playful societal actor to uphold the positive values that Alfie Atkins stands for. We want to strengthen children’s development and rights through activities such as play, reading, and learning, contributing to a better start in life.
The Foundation
Alfie Atkins Cultural Center is run by a non-profit foundation. The board works voluntarily and consists of representatives from the City of Gothenburg, the business community, and the Bergström family.
Operations are managed by a wholly-owned subsidiary. The subsidiary is responsible for running the activities as a limited company, with the CEO accountable to the board. Any surplus generated by the subsidiary is reinvested into the organization.
Board Members of Alfie Atkins Cultural Center in Gothenburg
- Birgitta L-Öfverholm, Chair
- Anna Forsgren, CEO of Alfie Atkins’ Cultural Center
- Carl Henric Wallblom, CEO of Lesley Cosmetics
- Hillevi Börjesson, Lawyer at Mannheimer Swartling
- Katarina Thorstensson, Sustainability Strategist, Göteborg & Co
- Lena Treschow Torell, Professor of Physics, sister of Gunilla Bergström
- Marie-Louise Hänel Sandström, (M) Member of Parliament
- Olof Nyström (adj), Lawyer at Lindahl law firm
- Pål Andersson, Bok-Makaren AB, son of Gunilla Bergström
- Sofia Torell, Bok-Makaren AB, niece of Gunilla Bergström
- Viktoria Tryggvadottir Rolka (S), City of Gothenburg
Members of the Board of Alfie Atkins Cultural Center.
From left: Birgitta L-Öfverholm, Lena Treschow Torell, Carl Henric Wallblom, Katarina Thorstensson, Hillevi Börjesson, Anna Forsgren, Marie-Louise Hänel Sandström. Missing from the photo: Pål Andersson, Olof Nyström, Sofia Torell, Viktoria Tryggvadottir Rolka.
