Vesterheim Opens Bruening Visitor Center

Celebrate the opening of the Duane K. and Eileen M. Bruening Visitor Center at Vesterheim on Friday, June 10, from 4:30 to 7:00 p.m. A ribbon-cutting ceremony with the Decorah Chamber of Commerce will be held at 5:00 p.m. The center is located on the first floor of the museum's Westby-Torgerson Education Center at 502 W. Water Street. Refreshments will be served.

The facility was made possible thanks to a donation from Duane and Eileen Bruening of Decorah. "Please join us in honoring the Bruenings for their continued generosity to Vesterheim," Steve Johnson, Vesterheim's Executive Director, said.

At the center, bus tours will disembark, visitors can buy admission tickets, and all guests can explore the collections in depth through a computerized catalog before or after their museum visit. There will also be touch-screen access to virtual galleries and video presentations.

The center features paintings and decoration commissioned from renowned artist Sigmund Aarseth of Valdres, Norway, and rosemaler Sallie Haugen DeReus of Leighton, Iowa.   

Watch Aarseth talk about his work in the new center:    

Sigmund Aarseth and the new Bruening Visitor Center

In Vikings in the Attic, Dregni tracks down and explores the significant--and often bizarre--historic sites, tales, and traditions of Scandinavians in the Midwest. Dregni is the author of several books, including In Cod We Trust (Living the Norwegian Dream) and lives in Minneapolis, Minnesota.

The Hjelles of Siewers Springs, a photo exhibition documenting a Norwegian immigrant family and their Decorah legacy, will be on view from June 2-July 2, at Vesterheim.

Planned to coincide with the 100^th anniversary of the first Hjelle family reunion, the exhibition will feature outstanding photographs and documents from the Hjelles' large archive at the Siewers Springs brick house just outside Decorah. Drawing from hundreds of letters dating from 1867 thru 1939, photos, negatives, postcards, and scrapbooks, the exhibition is a rich overview of the Hjelle family history and homestead.

Curated by Ann Hjelle and Ira Landgarten of Hoboken, New Jersey, and presented by the Winneshiek County Historical Society, the exhibition is made possible by Ferneva Brimacomb of the Winneshiek County Historical Society, Laurann Gilbertson of Vesterheim Norwegian-American Museum, the Professional Staff Congress-City University of New York (PSC-CUNY) Grant Foundation of New York City, the Winneshiek County Community Foundation, and Humanities Iowa. A booklet, compiled and designed by Ann Hjelle, titled The Hjelles of Siewers Springs, is for sale for $5.00 at the Museum Store.

MEMBERS ONLY: You are invited to a special event. A viewing of the exhibition The Hjelles at Siewers Springs and wine tasting will be held on Monday, June 27, from 5:00-7:00 p.m. Ann Hjelle, exhibition curator, will present an exclusive gallery talk at 6:00 p.m. in the newly renovated gallery in the Main Building. Artwork featuring the Siewers Springs area from local artists Elizabeth Lorentzen, David Kamm, Carol Gaustad, and Doug Eckheart will also be on display. A print inspired by this beautiful valley will be given away to one lucky attendee. The wine tasting will be presented by Oneota Community Food Co-op and promises to be a special treat. Come and enjoy a special members only evening at Vesterheim!  

Visit our website for more information on becoming a member. 

Des Moines Area Friends of Vesterheim announce a garden party celebrating Vesterheim Norwegian-American Museum on June 26 from 2:00-4:00 p.m.

Hosted by Des Moines area residents Robert and Rebecca Shaw, Leonard and Sharon Ainsworth, and Robert and Nancy Westlund, the event will be include light appetizers and desserts and there will be a presentation at 3:00 p.m.

Reservations are required. Contact Stephanie Johnson at 382-9681 or snjohnson@vesterheim.org for more information or to RSVP by June 17.

The event will highlight and benefit Vesterheim's National Exhibition of Folk Art in the Norwegian Tradition. Each year the very best contemporary American artists working in the Norwegian tradition enter pieces and compete for ribbons in this exceptional exhibition of woodworking, knifemaking, rosemaling, and weaving. The museum awards a Vesterheim Gold Medal to artists who have repeatedly won ribbons in this annual exhibition. Many pieces on display are also for sale by silent auction. The exhibition, held in conjunction with Decorah's Nordic Fest, will be on view this year from July 23-30 in the museum's Main Building.

Vesterheim Announces New Exhibition

The new exhibition, Norwegian-American Lutheran Colleges, is on view until April 7, 2012, in the museum's Main Building. Gallery talks and special events in connection with the exhibition will be announced throughout the year. Vesterheim is grateful to the many people whose generous donations made the exhibition Norwegian-American Lutheran Colleges possible.

The exhibition focuses on the founding of Norwegian-American Lutheran colleges and other institutions of higher education during the nineteenth century and the early part of the twentieth century. It examines the conflict and controversies that resulted in the creation of several contemporary Norwegian-American Lutheran colleges, including Augustana College, Augsburg College, Bethany Lutheran College, Concordia College, Luther College, Pacific Lutheran University, and St. Olaf College.

Professor Donna Rae Danielson loved her Norwegian ancestry and that was evident both in the way she lived and in her passing.

Born July 28, 1934, in Nevada, Iowa, Donna was an exemplary educator, creative artist, and devoted daughter. She retired from the Departments of Textiles and Clothing and Arts and Design at Iowa State University in 1991, after 27 years of decorated service. While working, she nurtured her creative side by designing beautiful Christmas cards, many of which are now housed in the ISU Special Collections Department.

During their lifetimes, Donna looked after her parents with love and dedication. As her father, Ray, lost his sight, Donna read to him from books, often about Norwegian pioneers. In 1995, she honored her mother, Vera, by having her name inscribed on the Plaza of Heroines in front of Catt Hall at Iowa State, in Ames, Iowa.

Donna died on Christmas Day, 2006. She extended her warm spirit of giving to Vesterheim by remembering the museum in her will. The modest, kindly educator who inherited the family farm properties left one of the largest bequests ever received by the museum. With this gift Donna will forever be a treasured member of Vesterheim's Valhalla Society. Her gift is a vital part of maintaining the museum's quality programs and engaging activities and providing the highest standards of quality and care for its collections.

Please consider including Vesterheim in your own estate plans. Once Vesterheim is notified of your intention to make a planned gift, you will become a member of the museum's honored Valhalla Society. It is a great way to benefit a charitable organization, still meet your current income needs, and provide for any heirs.

For more information about planned giving, contact Steve Grinna, Director of Development, at sgrinna@vesterheim.org, or call 563-382-9681, ext.109.