Livsreise - Life's Journey

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200 years of Norwegians in America

On view until February 1, 2026

The ship Restauration set sail for America from Stavanger, Norway on July 4, 1825 with 52 Norwegians aboard.  To commemorate this bicentennial, the Vesterheim Museum in Decorah, Iowa has curated a special exhibition focusing on Norwegian immigration. It features twenty objects that tell important stories and themes for Norwegians in America.  Themes include living traditions, migration of skills, the Sami, higher education, sports, citizenship, Native Americans and Norwegian Americans, World War I, and returned immigrants.  Each theme tells an important story of travel, settlement, family, and friends, old and new. This exhibit is now open and will be at Livsreise through all of 2025.

Upcoming Exhibits

Plan your visit today!

Livsreise is located in downtown Stoughton, WI – the birth place of the Coffee Break and home to many Norwegian immigrants from the late 1800’s to early 1900’s.
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