Nordic Heritage Museum
Encyclopedia
Nordic Heritage Museum is located in the Ballard
neighborhood of Seattle
, Washington, considered to be the heart of the Scandinavian community. Founded in 1980, the museum is dedicated to the heritage of Seattle's Nordic
immigrants, i.e. Danish
, Finnish, Icelandic
, Norwegian and Swedish Americans. The Nordic Heritage Museum serves as a community gathering place and shares Nordic culture by exhibiting art and objects, preserving collections, providing educational and cultural experiences.
The museum’s website also identifies its vision: “The Nordic Heritage Museum is an internationally recognized museum and cultural center where people of all backgrounds are welcomed to be inspired by the values, traditions, art, and spirit of the Nordic peoples.”
The museum offers several opportunities to be involved in the institution, including:
It also maintains a blog about restoring the Nordic Spirit, a boat in the museum's collection.
Ballard, Seattle, Washington
Ballard is a neighborhood located in the northwestern part of Seattle, Washington. To the north it is bounded by Crown Hill, ; to the east by Greenwood, Phinney Ridge and Fremont ; to the south by the Lake Washington Ship Canal; and to the west by Puget Sound’s Shilshole Bay. The neighborhood’s...
neighborhood of Seattle
Seattle, Washington
Seattle is the county seat of King County, Washington. With 608,660 residents as of the 2010 Census, Seattle is the largest city in the Northwestern United States. The Seattle metropolitan area of about 3.4 million inhabitants is the 15th largest metropolitan area in the country...
, Washington, considered to be the heart of the Scandinavian community. Founded in 1980, the museum is dedicated to the heritage of Seattle's Nordic
Nordic countries
The Nordic countries make up a region in Northern Europe and the North Atlantic which consists of Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway and Sweden and their associated territories, the Faroe Islands, Greenland and Åland...
immigrants, i.e. Danish
Danish Americans
Danish Americans are Americans of Danish descent. There are approximately 1,500,000 Americans of Danish origin or descent. Most Danish-Americans live in the Western United States or the Midwestern United States.-Population:...
, Finnish, Icelandic
Icelandic Americans
Icelandic Americans are Americans of Icelandic descent. Icelandic immigrants came to the United States primarily in the latter half of the 19th century and after World War II. There are more than 40,000 Icelandic Americans according to the 2000 U.S...
, Norwegian and Swedish Americans. The Nordic Heritage Museum serves as a community gathering place and shares Nordic culture by exhibiting art and objects, preserving collections, providing educational and cultural experiences.
Building
Before it became the Nordic Heritage Museum, the structure was originally home to Daniel Webster Elementary School. The red brick building was built in 1907 and served the community until 1979, when low student enrollment led to its closure. Fundraising and architecture plans are underway for a new building in downtown Ballard.Mission & Vision
According to its website the museum’s mission is to share “Nordic culture with people of all ages and backgrounds by exhibiting art and objects, preserving collections, providing educational and cultural experiences, and serving as a community gathering place.”The museum’s website also identifies its vision: “The Nordic Heritage Museum is an internationally recognized museum and cultural center where people of all backgrounds are welcomed to be inspired by the values, traditions, art, and spirit of the Nordic peoples.”
Organizational structure
The founder and long-time director Marianne Forssblad retired in 2007. Erik Nelson followed her as executive director and Janet Rauscher became chief curator in 2008.The museum offers several opportunities to be involved in the institution, including:
- Volunteering
- Internships
- Arctic Circle
Exhibitions
As part of the long term exhibits, there are five ethnic galleries, one for each country, as well a gallery describing Nordic emigration to the Pacific Northwest in "Dream of America". There is also a temporary gallery space.- Long Term
- Dream of America
- Iceland Room
- Norway Room
- Denmark Room
- Finland Room
- Sweden Room
- Temporary
- Current
- My Paradise: 100 Years of Finnish Architects' Summer Homes
- Upcoming
- Nordics and Seattle’s First World’s Fair: Celebrating the Alaska-Yukon-Pacific ExpositionAlaska-Yukon-Pacific ExpositionThe Alaska–Yukon–Pacific Exposition was a world's fair held in Seattle in 1909, publicizing the development of the Pacific Northwest.It was originally planned for 1907, to mark the 10th anniversary of the Klondike Gold Rush, but the organizers found out about the Jamestown Exposition being held...
- Nordics and Seattle’s First World’s Fair: Celebrating the Alaska-Yukon-Pacific Exposition
- Past (Since 2005)
- Knitting Along the Viking Trail
- Faces of Copenhagen: Photographs by Itzick Lev
- Skude 360 Degrees: Paintings by Severin Haines
- Vastinparit – Counterparts: Photographs by Jari Arffman
- Latvian Art: Past and Present
- Northwest Designer Craftsmen: Nordic Roots
- The Latvians: Fifty Years in the State of Washington
- Norwegian Resettlement of Jewish Refugees after World War II
- Maria Coryell-Martin: An Expeditionary Artist in Greenland
- Eliot O’Hara: Watercolors of Norway
- Caryl Utigard: Birds of Iceland
- Facing Climate Change
- Roland Pantze: Painter of Sami Life
- Kolmenkertainen Suomalainen: Three Times Finish
- Nordic Spirit: Early Icelandic Settlements in B.C. & Point Roberts
- Reminiscences: Icelandic Wood Sculpture Past and Present
- Elegant Explorations: The Designs of Phillip Jacobson
- Absolutely Swedish: The photography of Bengt Nilsson & Johan Wedenstrom
- Three Norwegian Artists: Jonny Andvik, Dagfinn Bakke, Elling Reitan
- You, I and Fairy Tale – Sa, Ma, ja Satu
- Immigrants: Graphic Images from Funen Graphic Workshop
- Tapestry on the Edge
- Henrik Ibsen – 100th Anniversary Art Exhibit
- Uncommon Threads
- The Promise of happiness – paintings by Mark Thompson
- Kiln Cast Glass
- Surface Stances
- Dream Time Fairy Photo Collages
- Clarence E. “Pete” Pedersen (191402006) A Ballardite for 91 years: His Life and Work
- The Landscapes of Clyde Aspevig: A Closer Look
- Swift and Slow: New Drawings by Sol Kjok
- Memories and Moods – Norway Revisited
- Northern Glow – Sculptural Pewter
- Nexus: Paintings by Karl Momen (donated by Museum President Allan Osberg in 2006)
- Boundary Crossings: Temporal Dialogues in Finnish Landscape Photography
- Parallel Paths: Two Generations in Art
- Crabbing in the Bering Sea: Photographs from the F/V Rollo 2003-2005
- Sacral Space: Modern Finnish Churches
- Laila Carlsen
- The Sami Reindeer People of Alaska
- Current
Public Programs
A large part of the museum’s focus is offering public programming that relates to educating the public about Scandinavian culture, including a craft school, adult and kids programs and teacher resources.- Craft School – download Winter/Spring 2009 brochure: http://www.nordicmuseum.org/local/uploaded/craftschoolwinter2009.pdf
- Nordic Knitting Café
- Nordic Woodcarving
- Rosemaling
- Nordic Cooking
- Viking Cooking
- Danish Cooking
- Knitting for Kids
- Adult Programs
- Tours
- Nordic Ambassadors
- Language Classes
- Nordic American Voices
- Kids & Parents
- Read All About It!
- Craft Projects
- Kids’ Corner
- Music for Kids
- Teachers
- Bibliography
- Outreach Trunks
- Nordic Adventures
- Tour Materials
Publications
The Nordic Heritage Museum publishes NHM Historical Journal on a quarterly basis.It also maintains a blog about restoring the Nordic Spirit, a boat in the museum's collection.
Events
The museum holds frequent events that further its mission of creating a community gathering space and educating the public about Nordic culture and heritage, including:- Concerts
- Films
- Kids’ Program
- Lectures
- Young Nordics