Vesterheim Commons – Exhibit Gallery

Vesterheim Commons - Exhibit Gallery

Vesterheim President/CEO Chris Johnson is joined in this video by Collection Assistant Lauryn Johnson to take a look at the second floor exhibit gallery. The central feature of this area that you can see starting to take shape is the oculus in the center looking down on the first floor.

This room will have a beautiful oak wood floor and the walls will be prepared to serve as a gallery space for a variety of exhibitions.

When planning exhibits, the curatorial team likes to feature artifacts from the tremendous Vesterheim collection. They also focus on honoring living artists, and they often host traveling exhibits from other museums.

The curators envision using this gallery to feature fine art, like print making and paintings, and small artifacts.

Lighting is important in galleries because it needs to be safe for the artifacts but also natural and enjoyable for visitors. During the planning process, we had lighting studies done so we know that the art pieces will be safe.

Another important consideration for any gallery is regulating the climate. While the building is being developed, we are constantly monitoring and thinking about the climate control we’ve planned to make sure it’s all working properly before it’s completed.

This space will be very dynamic and constantly change over time. There is easy access to the elavator and to the Westby-Torgerson Education Center artifact storage to easily move pieces in and out of the gallery.

We can’t wait to welcome visitors to the exhibits in this gallery. Thank you everyone who has helped make this project possible!

We invite you to be part of Vesterheim’s bold future now by donating here!

Help Us Grow Vesterheim

Name(Required)
I am interested in (select all that apply)(Required)

Need Help Now?

If you want to speak to someone about how you can support Vesterheim’s bold new future, call Diane Wagner or Kim Toussaint.

Diane Wagner: 563-382-9681 x103

Kim Toussaint: 563-382-9681 x105

A Re-imagined, Open, and Accessible Heritage Park

The first major project of the Strong Roots | Bold Future campaign is the re-imagining of Heritage Park, the outdoor exhibit and program space for Vesterheim’s 12 historic buildings. Heritage Park opened in summer 2021. Guided by the Snøhetta master plan, Heritage Park has been designed by Damon Farber Landscape Architects to be an accessible and open public space reminiscent of Norway’s forests and glades. Here, people can connect with one another amidst tangible historic buildings set in nature.

Beginning at the plaza that depicts the 1825 voyage of immigrants on the ship Restauration, meandering pathways will guide visitors around gentle glades, past a community amphitheater, and through the expanded parkwhere history comes alive by experiencing how Norwegian pioneers lived.

Special care has been given to create an environmentally sensitive community park with native plantings and woodlands appropriate to this Driftless Area of America’s Midwest, permeable pavers, and sustainable stormwater management.