vesterheim

770randyl

On a weekend trip through northeastern Iowa in the fall (best leaf color in the Midwest), be sure after seeing the Bily Clock Museum in nearby Spillville to continue your cultural tour with a stop at Vesterheim. You do not need to be Norwegian to appreciate the art and craftsmanship of these settlers to the area in the 1800s. The museum is a cultural gem and one the entire family will enjoy.

597TomasM

We visited Decorah for a couple of days in October 2014. This town has so many attractions for a small town that we did not have time to get to the Vesterheim Museum. But we did visit the gift shop and explored the exterior of the several historic buildings on the grounds. They have been very well restored and are probably are an indication that the displays inside the museum are well worth a visit. The gift shop has a good selection of items in wide price range. We bought a couple of jars of the Scandinavian fruit jam and found it to be excellent.

PatF369

Great Norwegian museum. Four floors of the displays, plus an outdoor section that we did not brave on this trip because of the cold temperatures.

MaryA633

Most all our families have relatives who immigrated to the U.S. Some of those stories have survived and been passed along through successive generations. While concentrating on Norwegian immigrants, Vesterheim creates the overall picture of what it must have been like to leave home and family in the "old country" and embark on a rugged move to a new country with a different language and culture, while taming wild lands on the push westward across America.No matter how many times I visit Vesterheim, the ever-changing exhibits feel fresh and the outdoor collection of buildings remind me of how hard life was for these pioneers.

loveshistory2014

My husband and I both enjoyed our visit to the Vesterheim tremendously! The artifacts and displays of Norwegian history is so informative and so very well organized and displayed. The best part, however, has to be the tour that we went on - seeing the outside buildings, school, houses, and church. There are more buildings, but we ran out of time! Our tour guide was phenomenal and had so much information. With the tour and viewing all four floors and then the gift store, we spent 4 hours there! This experience was well worth the entrance fee. Staff, at both the museum and the gift store, was so pleasant and knowledgeable. Gift store was a little pricey, but quality merchandise.

Hurry72

This is a nice place to get a real feel for the Norwegian culture. There are several floors packed with more than you can imagine. Be sure to see the neat furniture in the basement along with the church set up! If you visit on the first Thursday of the month, it is free!

982BarbaraS

I plan to go back when I have more time. I rushed through due to being with a family group that with time constraints. There were several floors of artifacts - arts, tools, storage, household items, church items and a number of interesting exhibits. Extra thrilling for me was one civil war exhibit down stairs that focused on my husband's great-great grandfather and his brothers. We saw their individual pictures along with information about each one. We even found out where they were buried - right there in Decorah! The museum also has a nice gift shop. I can't wait to go back to the Vesterheim!

VionneE

Interesting that items from this museum where inspiration for the movie Frozen. Great place highly recommend.

30karenl

This museum has a lot of interesting Norwegian artifacts and information. I liked that it felt like an older museum I remember from my youth, with musty (in a nice way) aromas, dim lighting and creaky wooden floors, yet it also had modern gallery areas that were bright and fresh. Loved the actual boat on display that a couple of young Norwegian men sailed across the Atlantic. The reconstructed rooms look like they were directly from a story book. Very cool. I highly recommend a visit.

strikketoy

In this outstanding museum where we usually say--my grand parents had one of those--this show of mid-century to contemporary enamel kitchen-ware and jewelry was something I could say "I had one of those." Beautifully presented with fascinating background info.

443jerryv

This is a Norwegian Museum in a predominantly Norwegian immigrant area. The museum told the stories of the people and the town with text, pictures, and artifacts. So many items were family heirlooms and keepsakes. There were examples of local crafts through the years as well. The day we were there it was a scortcher so we skipped the open air portion but the museum itself was well worth the morning spent there.

KarenBilly57

This is an amazing trip back in time to the early days of the Norwegian people. A lot of history to be learned. Many outstanding displays and artifacts. The people who work there are very nice and helpful. If you have any interest in Norwegian culture, don't miss this one.

jdkegel

This is a wonder field museum which interprets the immigrant experience very well. The artifacts and buildings (which reflect the Scandinavian open-air museum model) are used to interprets acculturation which would be of interest to any ethnic group not just Norwegians. Also an excellent gift shop. I only wished I could be part of the many different study/learning groups.

124brentv

The Vesterheim, translates to "Western Home", is a remarkable museum housing boats to clothing to an actual home shipped over from Norway. I do encourage you to plan on several hours for this. There is SO much to see, read, hear, and touch, time tends to slip by quite quickly.When the King and Queen of Norway came to the USA a couple of times, Vesterheim was part of the itinerary. They have made donations to the "Western home" as have many generations of Norwegians.Makes a GREAT educational and fun opportunity for young and old alike. The location is right on the main street and very easy to get to. If you have the heritage, or want to learn more about the heritage, make sure to stop here. You will be well rewarded.

jayy986

Far exceeded expectations. Much larger than we expected and everything is very well presented. First floor is about life in Norway and the emigration to America. The second floor is dedicated to early immigrant life in America. The top floor has rotating exhibits. Unfortunately this was in transition during our visit. Out back there is a collection of old cabins, a food storage building and a school. Very fun and very eye-opening. Staff are friendly and helpful. Senior discount applies. Admission is VERY reasonable.