The new 7,600 sq. ft. Vesterheim Commons Building physically links the past and the future – connecting the museum collection to the Folk Art School. Visit the new Commons Building during a week-long celebration beginning Saturday, Sept. 23. (submitted photo)
Vesterheim, the National Norwegian-American Museum and Folk Art School on Water Street in Decorah will celebrate the opening of the new Commons Building with numerous activities Sept. 23-Oct. 1, both on-site and online. There will be free museum admission this entire week.
A public dedication of the Commons will be held Saturday, Sept. 30, at 1:30 p.m., on Water Street in front of the Commons Building. There will be a ribbon cutting and welcome presentations from the Norwegian architect firm Snøhetta and Vesterheim staff and trustees. Activities will follow throughout the campus from 2 to 4 p.m., with refreshments, tours and entertainment including Decorah’s Nordic Dancers, Eden Ehm on Hardanger fiddle and Luren Singers.
Other events
On Saturday, Sept. 23, Norway’s Minister of Foreign Affairs Anniken Huitfeldt will visit Decorah in celebration of Vesterheim Commons and the rich legacy of Norwegian emigrants who came to America. She will give a public presentation and Q&A about Norway’s foreign policy objectives at 11:30 a.m., in the Noble Recital Hall in the Jensen-Noble Hall of Music on the Luther College Campus. The Minister of Foreign Affairs is responsible for Norwegian foreign policy, the promotion of Norway’s interests internationally and the foreign service, which includes 78 embassies, nine permanent missions and delegations and eight consulates general.
Also on Sept. 23, the exhibit “A New York Minute: City Scenes by Bernhard Berntsen” opens in the new gallery space on the second floor of Vesterheim Commons. Berntsen was a construction worker, sculptor and fine art painter who was born in Oslo in 1900 and immigrated to the United States in 1919. There are more than 150 oil paintings, crayon drawings and sculptures by Berntsen in the Vesterheim collection. For this first solo show of his work at Vesterheim, the focus will be on his sketches on newspaper and unique views of the growing metropolis of New York City.
On Sept. 24 at 2 p.m., photographer Randall Hyman will give a Gallery Talk online for the exhibit “Sámi Dreams: Portraits of Resilience in the
Norwegian Arctic,” on view now at
Vesterheim. Also online, Dan York, a lifetime paddler and traveler, will present “Kayaking the Lofoten Islands: Norway’s Craggy Crown Jewels” on Sept. 27 at 7 p.m. Both events are free. Register at vesterheim.org to receive Zoom links.
For those in Decorah through the weekend meet silver experts from the Sylvsmidja company in Voss, Norway, on Sunday, Oct. 1 at Vesterheim. Co-owner of Sylvsmidja Anne-Kari Salbu, Chairman of the Board Heidi Hjellestad and designer Svanhild Strom will be available in the Commons from 2:30-3:30 p.m. to give a presentation about their new Sagastad collection and discuss Sylvsmidja jewelry. They have been crafting exquisite jewelry and accessories since 1940.
About the Commons
With 7,600 sq. ft. spread across three levels and almost an acre of surrounding landscaped patio, the new Vesterheim Commons Building physically links the past and the future, connects the museum collection to the Folk Art School and enriches the Vesterheim visitor experience for those coming to Decorah or participating digitally through a new video and photography production studio. This project is part of a comprehensive, long-range planning process with renowned international architecture and landscape architecture firm Snøhetta, and is supported with work of the architect of record, consultants and construction management including BNIM; Meyer, Borgman, Johnson (MBJ); Morrissey; and McGough Construction.
Find more about the Commons building and the Strong Roots Bold Future, Campaign to Grow Vesterheim at strongrootsboldfuture.org.
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