From Dream to Reality: A Collection Study Center for Vesterheim
In
the last days of 2004, the dream of an important improvement for Vesterheim
and its future became a reality. A generous gift from Brenda and David Carlson,
Decorah, Iowa, made it possible for Vesterheim to acquire a new building adjacent
to the museum complex. This modern structure, now housing a video rental business,
is the ideal location for the eventual creation of a much-needed facility for
the care, storage, and study of an important segment of Vesterheim’s stellar
artifact collection. The Carlsons have also created an endowed fund to support
the expenses of maintaining this new facility.
Brenda Carlson is a Vesterheim trustee and the guiding spirit behind Barnetimen, Vesterheim’s monthly activity hour for preschool children. Her husband, David, is a Decorah businessman and investor and the son of the late Roy and Helen Carlson, also longtime Vesterheim supporters.
Acquiring this building will make it possible for Vesterheim to rehouse 42 percent of its collection—approximately 10,000 objects now stored in the museum’s main building and the Westby-Torgerson Education Center. The new facility will be outfitted with mobile-aisle shelving that provides state-of-the-art storage for objects ranging from silver spoons to trunks. As objects are moved to the new facility, they will be digitally photographed and the photos stored in a collections database, making the objects visually accessible to visitors and researchers while protecting the objects from excessive handling. The renovated building will also house an artifact study area for curators and visiting researchers.
In addition to improving the level of collections care that Vesterheim can provide, and making the collection more accessible, the rehousing project has another important result: making more space available in the museum’s main building for temporary exhibitions. Ultimately, this project enables Vesterheim to fulfill its mission of caring for its priceless treasures and sharing them with a wide audience.
Preparing the building and moving the objects into it will take approximately three years. Fundraising for renovating and outfitting the building is underway as part of the upcoming campaign, On the Shoulders of Giants.
Brenda and David Carlson’s generosity and leadership have made possible the first step toward an exciting new long-term vision for Vesterheim.