Ties between Norwegians and Norwegian Americans have always remained close, so it would be natural for Norway and its cultural institutions to maintain a close connection to Vesterheim throughout the museum’s history. Norway has been generous with its gifts of artifacts. Many folk artists have come to Vesterheim to teach traditional techniques. Norwegian organizations and artists host visits and events during Vesterheim tours to their country. Norway’s Royal Family and government officials have visited the museum many times, and His Majesty King Harald V is the museum’s Honorary Board Chair.

A significant gift of historical objects from Norwegian museums for “the Norwegian people in America” came in 1925 to mark the 100th anniversary of Norwegian emigration. The gift, which took two years to assemble, ultimately filled 23 crates when it crossed over the ocean to the United States in 1927. The coordinator of the entire project was Anders Sandvig, founder of the Maihaugen collection in Lillehammer, Norway. Sandvig expressed his purpose in organizing such an effort by writing, “May these objects work so that the Norwegian-ness in you will not die too soon, and the connection with the homeland will because of this be tighter. Receive this gift as proof that we follow you all in our hearts, even though the big Atlantic Ocean parts us.”