Nordic Heritage Museum
"The mission of the Nordic Heritage Museum Foundation is to highlight the contributions of Nordic immigrants and their descendants in the development of the Pacific Northwest and serve as a cross cultural bridge among peoples of the Nordic countries and the United States."
Description:
The Nordic Heritage Museum (hereafter referred to as NHM or the Museum) was incorporated on November 2, 1979. The original articles of incorporation on file with the Washington Secretary of State's office include this statement of purpose: "to collect, preserve and protect material that reflects the life and culture of immigrants from the Nordic countries (Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway and Sweden); to stimulate the display of these materials under curatorial supervision; to develop educational programs and activities that will encourage examination and debate of ideas of common interest; to encourage, to the mutual interest of the Nordic countries and the United States, those values which make peace, progress and prosperity, and improve understanding among the peoples."
Since its founding, the Museum's purpose has been periodically interpreted by it Board of Trustees through its mission statement, the latest revision of which place on July 13, 1995 and is found in the official minutes of the Board of Trustees meet for that date.
Keeping in mind both its original founding purpose, as well as changing demands, implementation of this mission calls for "the collecting, preserving and interpreting of materials that reflect the life and culture of the immigrants from the five Nordic countries; the preservation of the spirit and vision of the Nordic pioneers; the display of such materials; the hosting of special exhibitions under curatorial supervision; providing educational programs and library services that will serve as a resource for encouragement of civic and community involvement."
History:
The Nordic Heritage Museum was established and incorporated as a non-profit organization in the state of Washington in November of 1979. A group of Nordic-American business people and representatives from a large number of Nordic organizations in Seattle had for several years discussed the founding of a museum that would preserve and interpret the heritage of the early Nordic settlers and their descendants in the Pacific Northwest. As early as 1962 (at the time of the World's Fair in Seattle)it had become evident that the northwest region had been greatly influenced by immigrants from the five Nordic countries and that their rich heritage needed to be documented and preserved before it was lost to future generations. In 1978 a search committee found a suitable building, a 51,000-sq. ft. former elementary school, in the Ballard section of Seattle. A long term lease was signed with the Seattle School District and the Nordic Heritage Museum opened its doors to the public with a gala event on April 12, 1980.
From the very beginning the Museum has worked steadfastly to preserve, interpret and keep alive the history and culture of all of the Nordic Americans in the Pacific Northwest. It has evolved into one of the finest museums and cultural centers in the region and is the only museum in the United States devoted to the detailed documentation and exhibition of the Pan-Nordic American experience. The Museum plays a pivotal role in the Pacific Northwest due to the large number of Nordic immigrants who settled in Washington, Oregon and neighboring states and who contributed immensely to the region's development. Through collaborative efforts with other local ethnic and cultural organizations, the Museum aid in the understanding and appreciation of the rich cultural heritage of the many diverse groups that make up the Northwest.
Due to the rapid growth of the Museum's collections of Nordic American artifacts, plans were initiated in 1985 for the first large expansion of its interpretive exhibition space. The first floor was completely renovated: the former gym and covered outdoor play area were rebuilt into an exhibition area to hold the award-winning Dream of America panoramic exhibition. From 1986 membership and collection growth accelerated and the community became more involved with the Museum. Several new permanent exhibits were developed which focused on the occupational culture of the Nordic Americans. The final phase in the permanent exhibition development was the completion of the five ethnic galleries on the third floor in 1992. Concurrent with the exhibit upgrade was a general renovation of the building itself. In several phases, the old school entrance was replaced with new west entrance accessible to physically-challenged persons, an elevator was installed, the heating system modified, office space and restrooms renovated, and an HVAC system was installed in the second floor changing gallery spaces which upgraded the spaces to full museum standards.
The Museum has grown continuously since its inception in 1979. It has attained local, national and international recognition for its role in preserving and documenting the Nordic American heritage in the Northwest. The collection has increased, programming is aggressive with weekly events, and the involvement of the Nordic community is extensive, coupled with a very broad volunteer base--at the present time involving more than 210 individuals who gave 20,000 hours of service in 2001. In 1998, one of the Museum's special exhibits, Norwegian Folk Art: The Migration of a Tradition, was given the annual award for a outstanding exhibit using historical collections by the Association of Kint Co. Historical Organizations. A museum-sponsored videotape series on the Northwest fishing industry was also singled out for honor.
Contact person: Cristy Lake, Volunteer Coordinator, (phone), (email)
Office fax number: 206-789-3271
Address:
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3014 NW 67th StreetSeattle, WA 98117(See a map) |
Web Site: http://www.nordicmuseum.org
Directions:
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The Nordic Heritage Museum is located in Ballard, just north of the intersection of NW 65th and 32d Avenue NW. The #17 Metro bus travels north and south along 32d Avenue with a bus stop at 67th Street.
Nearest Bus Stop: #17 Metro bus, Less than 5 minutes minute walk |
Miscellaneous Information
| Liability |
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Yes
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| Does your organization welcome court-ordered community service volunteers? |
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No
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| Does your organization have volunteer positions for youth 12-18? |
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Yes
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| Last updated on August 14, 2009 |
