Vesterheim Opens for Spring, Launches Tours and Free Family Events

Our newsroom runs on more than coffee and craft beer — it runs on you. Support Decorah News' local reporting today. DECORAH — It's springtime at Vesterheim Norwegian-American Museum, the National Norwegian-American Museum and Folk Art School. New hours and regular tours begin May 1. The museum will be open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., with guided tours of the historic buildings in Heritage Park generally scheduled at 1:30 p.m. Wednesday through Sunday, excluding holiday weekends. Free Second Saturday is May 9, with free admission for everyone and a family activity from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. in the museum building. This month, families can make and color Norwegian flags to get ready for Syttende Mai (May 17), the day Norway ratified its constitution in 1814. A special exhibit at Vesterheim offers more family fun. Check out "Emigrating to America" in Hanson Vesterheim Commons and play the interactive game that goes along with it. The game leads visitors through a series of decisions as they pretend to immigrate to the United States from Norway. Visitors can discover who they are when they leave Norway and what happens along their travels to a new home. Vesterheim offers Free Second Saturdays every month with free museum admission and a community activity, supported by a grant from the McElroy Trust with additional gifts from The Depot Outlet and Black Hills Energy. Be the first to know! Sign up for the free newsletter and unlock exclusive updates, breaking news, and tips from around the community.