Seattle's new Nordic Museum

Tróndur Patersson with one of his seabird sculptures
You'll find 25 in the main hall of the new Nordic Museum
Image via norden.org (Nordic Cool)

Seattle's former Nordic Heritage Museum, long housed in an old school, has been reborn as simply The Nordic Museum. The stunning new Mithun building opened on May 5th by Danish Crown Princess Mary and Icelandic president Guðni Th. Jóhannesson.

"The new museum is organized around a linear ‘fjord’ that weaves together stories of homeland and the Nordic American experience. Bridges crossing the fjord intensify the experience of migration, connecting Nordic and Nordic American exhibits..." [read more].

Giving life to the space are soaring sea birds, some with 6' wingspans, each uniquely hand crafted by Faroe Islands glass artist Tróndur Patursson.

Tróndur clasps his hands and looks up at the birds swooping down the hall. “They bring nature inside,” he says. “They give the building a soul.”

Asked if his father is the most famous artist from the Faroe Islands, son and fellow glass artist, Brandur Patturson says, “He’s the most famous person from the Faroe Islands!"..." [read more].

"When you see wood smoke and naked people in Ballard, you’ll know the new Nordic Museum is finally complete. There's one piece of history that's not quite ready for visitors yet: A century-old Finnish sauna, built by lumberjacks, which now sits on the museum's lawn. “This is one of my favorite things,” museum CEO Eric Nelson said. “We’ve got a group of Finnish folks who helped us move it over here, and their dream is to get it operational again as a functional sauna. So we’ll see how that goes.”..." [read more].

An artifact from the museum's collection
Creative Commons image opacity on Flickr

Dedicated to the heritage of Seattle's Nordic immigrants, Danish, Finnish, Icelandic, Norwegian and Swedish Americans, the Nordic Museum serves as a community gathering place and shares Nordic culture by exhibiting art and objects, preserving collections,and providing educational and cultural experiences.

The Nordic Museum houses two libraries:
  • The Walter Johnson Memorial Library holds 15,000+ books published in Danish, Finnish, Icelandic, Norwegian and Swedish, as well as a music library and oral histories.
  • The Gordon Ekvall Tracie Music Library focuses on Nordic folk customs, dance, music, attire and folk art, and includes 3000 audio/visual materials, 4000 music scores, 2500 books and 40 periodicals.

To visit

Faroe Islands glass artist Tróndur Patursson
Wikicommons
Nordic Museum
2655 NW Market Street, Ballard, Seattle, WA 98107
10-5 Monday-Wednesday and Friday-Sunday, 10-8 Thursdays
Closed Mondays
Nordic Museum - official website
Exhibits - Nordic Museum
Traveling Through Time and Place - Mithun (architect's project website)
Tróndur Patursson - official website

To learn more
A royal welcome for the new Nordic Museum in Ballard (photo gallery - Seattle Times (opening photo's!)
Glass art takes flight at the new Nordic Museum: meet the Faroe Islander behind the airborne showstopper - Crosscut (great photos)
The brand-new Nordic Museum opens Saturday in Ballard - Curbed Seattle
Mad dash to the finish’ as Seattle’s new Nordic Museum prepares for its grand debut - Seattle Times
Wedged between history and hipster,' Ballard's new Nordic Museum is ready ... almost - KUOW
Nordic Exposure: A Seattle Museum Celebrates Immigrants: A striking building houses a collection ranging from ancient stone tools to Angry Birds - Wall Street Journal

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