Everyone is invited to join Vesterheim and Luther College students for a free gallery talk about this new exhibit commemorating 200 years of Norwegian emigration!

The ship Restauration set sail for America from Stavanger, Norway, on July 4, 1825, with 52 Norwegians aboard. To commemorate this bicentennial anniversary, Vesterheim presents this special exhibition focusing on Norwegian emigration, by featuring important objects, photographs, themes, and stories from 200 years of Norwegians in America.

We are thrilled to welcome Luther College students into the curatorial process for this exhibit! Students in Dr. Anna Peterson’s Scandinavian Immigration History course are choosing some of the featured objects from the Vesterheim collection and studying the stories behind the items. 

Meet the students as they share what they’ve learned.

Commemorate the 200th Anniversary of the first organized emigration of Norwegians to the United States with Vesterheim in 2025! The single-masted sloop, Restauration, left Stavanger on July 4, 1825, with 52 people on board and landed in New York Harbor on October 9, 1825.

Vesterheim joins Crossings, a group of Norwegian-American organizations, to commemorate this anniversary with programming inspired by the strong connections between the people of Norway and the United States. Whether you have Norwegian roots or an interest in Scandinavian traditions, we invite you to join Vesterheim’s special programs, exhibitions, and classes to share the history and traditions of Norwegian Americans.