Dr. Maren Johnson, Luther College's Associate Professor of Nordic Studies and Torgerson Center for Nordic Studies Director, facilitates a regular bokprat (book group), discussing Scandinavian authors and Scandinavian life. June's discussion is a twist on the usual format, and features a discussion of Netflix's new film adaptation of Ann-Helén Laestadius's novel Stolen. This spellbinding Swedish story follows a young indigenous...
On Saturday, June 15, the City of Decorah, Iowa, will commemorate the town's 175th Anniversary - the Dodransbicentennial. The public is invited to a short program at 10 a.m. at Vesterheim Commons the morning of the 15th with remarks by Mayor Lorraine Borowski and Prosper Waukon (descendant of Chief Waukon Decorah), and a special performance...
What do you do when a family heirloom is caught in a house fire? You work towards restoring it… no matter how hard or how long it takes. Join Goldsmith Liz Bucheit for a story of an almost lost sølje that was restored through tireless work and artistry. From a house fire to the workshop, learn about...
Exploring the Natural World through Printmaking: Olive Jensen Nordby closes on June 16, 2024. Be sure to visit before it ends! Olive Jensen Norby (1915-2014) taught art at Luther College in Decorah, Iowa, and worked as a commercial artist, but she was best known for woodcuts, prints made with a carved wooden block. Inspired by...
We are thrilled to present Boreal Ornament V, an exhibit of artwork by Tara Austin, open from June 29 until September 22, 2024. This exhibit features rosemaling with a contemporary painting focus, highlighting the beauty and techniques of this Norwegian decorative tradition infused in a modern narrative. Tara’s work is part of a revival of rosemaling...
Vesterheim offers free admission the second Saturday of every month. Come and enjoy the museum! From May through October, there will be an indoor tour of the museum’s Main Building at 11:00 a.m. and an outdoor tour of Heritage Park at 1:30 p.m. Come and enjoy the museum! Special exhibits open are listed here. There's...
Anne Beate Hovind is an urban developer who commissions and produces art in public spaces. She is the curator of the world renowned Future Library in Oslo, a public artwork by Scottish artist Katie Paterson, which will unfold over the next 100 years, challenging our concept of time, as well as of trust. Over the...
This city-wide celebration starts with evening ceremonies on Thursday, July 25, and continues all day Friday and Saturday, July 26 and 27. Nordic Fest is fun for the whole family with lively music and dancing, challenging sporting events, delicious food, and lots of entertainment. It's a great time to visit Vesterheim! There will be folk...
The National Norwegian-American Folk Art Exhibition closes July 27, 2024. Vesterheim’s bi-annual National Norwegian-American Folk Art Exhibition is a collection of amazing work entered by fantastic contemporary artists from all over the country and is a great way to find out what’s happening today in the world of Norwegian-inspired folk art. The exhibit celebrates the past, present, and...
Artist Tara Austin gives a presentation about her work in connection with the exhibit Boreal Ornament V, which features rosemaling with a contemporary painting focus, highlighting the beauty and techniques of this Norwegian decorative tradition infused in a modern narrative. The presentation will be in the new community space in the Vesterheim Commons and the...
