Museum of Danish America. (museum photo)
The Museum of Danish America in the southwest Iowa town of Elk Horn is marking its 40th anniversary this weekend.
Museum spokeswoman Amelia Juhl says they’re working with several Norwegian and Swedish organizations to showcase their traditions — and the facility. Saturday’s events include a private tent dinner, followed by a traditional Danish celebration of the summer solstice with a bonfire and a list of activities.
“It is a private dinner so it does cost $40, but following that dinner, from 7 to 10 pm, we will be having our annual midsummer celebration or Sankt Hans Aften, and it’s free and open to the public,” Juhl says. “This year we’re working with local students, seventh grade and up, to put on a production of Hans Christian Anderson’s ‘The Ugly Duckling’.” Juhl says visitors are welcome to bring their own seating, beverages, and lawn games to Sankt Hans Aften or Saint John’s Eve.
Events will be underway on the rim of the 30-acre Jens Jensen Prairie Landscape Park. “We really want people to go out and experience the prairie,” she says. “I know the museum itself, we’re opening new exhibitions just two days before our 40th anniversary for a conference that we’re also hosting.” In the event of rain, most of the activities will be held indoors. While visiting the Museum of Danish America, you can check out the many detailed exhibits.
“One of those that is current, it’s 40 Years of Collecting, Highlights from the Permanent Collection,” Juhl says. “It really showcases the diversity of the pieces we’ve collected over these 40 years, and the different ways in which people engage and connect with the artifacts, and staff were able to pick out some of their favorite objects or ones that might not have normally been displayed.”
The museum has members in 48 states. Only Louisiana and Vermont are not represented. For more information about the museum and upcoming events, visit: www.danishmuseum.org.
(By Ric Hanson, KJAN, Atlantic)