Museum of Danish America in Iowa Receives Extraordinary Gifts & Other Exciting News

By Nicky Christensen, Development/Social Media Associate at Museum of Danish America –

Recently, the Museum of Danish America in Elk Horn, Iowa received incredible and bittersweet news in the form of two unexpected bequests within days of each other. On Friday, November 14, 2014, word was received from the Charles and Norma Wilson Charitable Remainder Trust that the museum will be the recipient of over $550,000, which the Wilsons designated for investment in the Danish Immigrant Museum Endowment Fund.

Norma Wilson was the daughter of Olrich and Julia (Nielsen) Larsen of rural Storm Lake, Iowa. At Iowa State University, she met and married Charles Wilson. They had a very successful concrete/redi-mix business and were major benefactors in the Red Oak, Iowa community where they lived. The museum had a long relationship with the couple, as well as Norma’s sister and brother-in-law, who were also long-time museum members.

The following Monday, November 17, 2014, the museum received a second distribution from the Marianne Festersen Trust. This bequest is a major gift in excess of $400,000. Marianne Festersen of Omaha, Nebraska was not a museum member, but her husband, Hans, was placed on the museum’s Danish Immigrant Wall of Honor in 1998 by her grandchildren.

Hans was born in Flensburg, Germany in 1906 and in 1927, at the age of 21, his grandfather and father encouraged him to immigrate to the United States since there was little opportunity for a young man who considered himself a Dane in that part of Slesvig that remained in Germany after the plebiscite in 1920. Hans became a very successful independent CPA with Coca-Cola as one of his leading accounts. Before his death in 1997 he visited the museum and was impressed with it.

“These wonderful gifts affirm that our museum is making progress and is held in esteem by very generous members and donors. All of us are very grateful for these extraordinary gifts!” said John Mark Nielsen, Executive Director.

The Museum of Danish America and its new Curatorial Center expansion. (Photo courtesy of Museum of Danish America)

GALLERY EXPANSION UNDERWAY

The museum has begun the process of renovating its mezzanine-level exhibit and office spaces after a generous end-of-year gift by Omaha area donors. The work will nearly double the size of the Kramme Gallery. Completion of the gallery expansion is hoped to be completed before the opening of the main 2015 exhibit, Skål! Scandinavian Spirits (April 24 – October 25).

The gallery expansion was made possible by the completion of the museum’s Curatorial Center in the fall. New office spaces in the center allowed for three mezzanine-level office spaces to be vacated. The Kramme Gallery will extend into the space formerly occupied by these offices. All parts of the museum are expected to remain open to the public during the project.

BROWN BAG LUNCH PROGRAMS ON HIATUS

The museum’s Brown Bag Lunch Series will take a break for the winter months and will return on March 19, 2015. Videos from a few past presentations can be found on YouTube at www.youtube.com/danishmuseum.

Some of the artifacts stored in the new Curatorial Center. (Photo by The Danish Pioneer)

INTERN AND GENEALOGY BLOGS AVAILABLE

Interns at the Museum of Danish America and its Genealogy Center keep a blog about their experiences at DanishMuseumInterns.tumblr.com. There is also a NEW Genealogy Center blog for genealogy and family history-related tidbits: DanishMuseumGenealogy.tumblr.com.

MUSEUM SHOP NOW KNOWN AS “MUSEUM OF DANISH AMERICA DESIGN STORE”

The Museum of Danish America’s gift shop, formerly known as the “Museum Shop” will henceforth be referred to as the “Museum of Danish America Design Store” in line with the organization’s branding initiatives. The change is expected to clear confusion with other shops in the area and effectively convey the store’s mission of providing the highest-quality, contemporary Scandinavian and American design items to its customers.

There is no fee to shop in the Design Store, and new items arrive weekly. The store’s selection of items (including housewares and décor, jewelry, and books) are curated by the museum’s professional buyer. The 2014 catalog can be viewed by clicking the “Shop” tab at danishmuseum.org.