Vesterheim lends objects to institutions around the country. These have included the Mingei International Museum, San Diego, California; Haydon Art Center, Lincoln, Nebraska; Ellis Island, New York; Mint Museum, Charlotte, North Carolina; and the Apron Museum in Iuka, Mississippi.
Vesterheim's Objects on Loan
The locations of all the Vesterheim’s exhibits and objects that currently on loan are listed below.
Current Locations
Livsreise Norwegian Heritage Center
Stoughton, Wisconsin
Exhibition Pieces of Self: Identity and Norwegian-American Quilts
The exhibition highlights the ways Norwegian Americans have expressed gender, family, community, religious, and ethnic identities through quiltmaking. “Not only are the quilts beautiful, they have interesting and often emotional stories,” said Laurann Gilbertson, Vesterheim’s Chief Curator.
Includes 18 quilts, quilt blocks, and pieced spreads from Vesterheim’s collection, as well as sewing tools. Many of the artifacts are from Wisconsin, including the communities of Pleasant Springs, New Hope, Argyle, Baldwin, and Sun Prairie.
American Swedish Institute
Minneapolis, Minnesota
Two bowls from the Vesterheim collection are included in the exhibit CraftBOWL on view through April 8.
Museum of Danish America
Elk Horn, Iowa
Exhibition Skål! Scandinavian Spirits
This exhibition, which explores the role of beer and aquavit as symbols of Scandinavian heritage, includes drinking vessels from Vesterheim’s collections. The exhibition’s venues includes The Museum of Danish America, Elk Horn, Iowa, Nordic Heritage Museum, Seattle, Washington; Swedish American Museum, Chicago, Illinois; Vesterheim Norwegian-American Museum, Decorah, Iowa; American Swedish Historical Museum, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; American Swedish Institute, Minneapolis, Minnesota; and Elverhoj Museum, Solvang, California.
The Gundersen Clinic
Decorah, Iowa
Gundersen Clinic features a colorful display of clay and paper flowers made by Nordic Fest participants and inspired by Flora Metamorphicae, an installation of 4,000 ceramic flowers that were on view at Vesterheim Museum in 2014.
Nordic Heritage Museum
Seattle, Washington
This five-year loan to their core exhibition includes a Luther College pennant, a political button, and a bygdelag badge.